Rohani elected as reformists’ final candidate: Iranian party leader

TEHRAN,June 11(MNA)--The secretary general of the Construction Party said that in a 10-person council meeting on Monday which had been arranged by former president Mohammad Khatami, Hassan Rohani was elected as the final candidate of the reformists and moderate principlists in the presidential election. There was a wide speculation that either centrist candidate Rohani or pro-reform candidate Mohammad Reza Aref would drop out of the election race in favor of the other ahead of Friday’s election. In an interview with the Mehr News Agency, Gholam Hossein Karbaschi said, “Mr. Aref and Mr. Rohani have also said that they would obey the views of” key figures, an indirect reference to Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani whose views are very important in brokering a deal in this regard. However, Jafar Tofiqi, the chairman of Aref’s campaign office, said Aref has not still decided to quit the presidential race. “I will dismiss this report. Mr. Aref has not still reached a conclusion to quit,” Tofiqi told . Karbaschi said he thinks that Rohani would win the election on June 14 and the election would not go to a second round because according to opinion polls Rohani enjoys high popularity and his chances of victory would increase “if” Aref withdraws candidacy. Asked if Aref refuses to withdraw candidacy, the party leader said, “I do not think this happens because reformist groups are acting in a harmony.” According to the Fars News Agency, the representative of Aref was present at the meeting on Monday in which Khatami was present. The director of the public relations department of Aref’s campaign office said on Monday that Aref would drop out of the race only on a recommendation by Khatami. “Aref is now (Monday) in Khoramabad and upon his arrival, in answer to question by reporters, insisted that he will remain in the election scene and will not withdraw in favor of anybody,” Ali Reza Khamecian told the MNA.