‘Reformists considering 5 alternative candidates to Khatami’

TEHRAN,April 17(MNA) – The pro-reform camp is considering fielding a candidate from among five politicos in the upcoming presidential election if former president Mohammad Khatami rules out his candidacy, according to reformist politician Mohsen Mehralizadeh. The alternative candidates have been introduced by the 46-member consultative council of the pro-reform camp, Mehralizadeh told the Mehr News Agency in an interview published on Tuesday. The reformists are waiting to see whether Khatami will stand as a candidate, he said, adding that he himself, Mohammad Reza Aref, Mohammad Ali Najafi, Safdar Hosseini, and Eshaq Jahangiri were being considered as the alternative candidates. He added, “Almost all conscientious figures who have already served the country and are interested in the prevalence of wisdom and intellectuality and meticulous planning are trying to persuade Mr. Khatami to announce his candidacy for the upcoming election.” Mehralizadeh said that Khatami may announce his decision this week. Asked whether he thinks former president Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani would run for president, he said that he did not think Ayatollah Rafsanjani planned to make a comeback bid for the presidency. However, Mehralizadeh said the former president would play an effective role in shaping the political landscape of the country. The 11th presidential election is scheduled to be held on June 14.