“...My participation [in the presidential race] is likely to slow down or bring to a halt some of the heavy executive responsibilities. Therefore, I decided to pull out,” Rahimi said Monday.
“...I felt that spending time and energy on the [presidential] race would hinder the continuity of providing services [to the people] and I finally preferred to concentrate on the continuity of the job and carrying out current responsibilities,” he added.
Rahimi registered to participate in Iran’s 11th presidential election before the registration deadline ended on Saturday. A total of 686 individuals have signed up for the race.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election. The Guardian Council is mandated with vetting the hopefuls.
The Iranian Constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must be religious or political figures, be Iranian in origin, have Iranian citizenship, be resourceful, enjoy managerial skills, have no criminal record, be trustworthy and pious, and have firm belief in the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s official religion.
