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In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry announced that the Guardian Council has approved eight candidates for Iran’s June 14 presidential election.
The Guardian Council approved the following candidates: Saeed Jalili, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Mohsen Rezaei, Hassan Rohani, Mohammad Reza Aref, Mohammad Gharazi, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Ali Akbar Velayati.
Following are short biographies of the eight men:
Saeed Jalili, a principlist candidate, is the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and also acts as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator in the talks with the six major powers.
Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, a principlist candidate, is the chairman of the Majlis Cultural Committee and also served as Majlis speaker from 2004 to 2008.
Mohsen Rezaei, a centrist candidate, is the secretary of the Expediency Council and was the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps for 16 years, from 1981 to 1997. Rezaei also ran for president in 2005 and 2009.
Hassan Rohani, a centrist candidate, is the director of the Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council. He was also the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for about 16 years and led the Iranian delegation during the nuclear negotiations with the European Union trio of Britain, France, and Germany during the administration of President Mohammad Khatami.
Mohammad Reza Aref, a pro-reformist candidate, was the first vice president during the second administration of President Mohammad Khatami. He also served as communications minister during Khatami’s first administration and was the chancellor of Tehran University from 1994 to 1997.
Mohammad Gharazi, an independent candidate, was communications minister in the administration of former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a principlist candidate, has been the mayor of Tehran since 2005, when he was elected by the Tehran City Council. Qalibaf formerly served as the national police chief and also ran for president in 2005.
Ali Akbar Velayati, a principlist candidate, is the senior foreign policy advisor of the Supreme Leader. He served as Iran’s foreign minister for 16 years during the administrations of former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He had considered tossing his hat in the ring for the 2005 presidential election but decided against it after Rafsanjani announced his candidacy.