Former nuclear negotiator to run for Iran's presidency

Iran's former nuclear negotiator and incumbent senior member of Expediency Council Hassan Rouhani will run for the upcoming presidential election, Press TV reported Wednesday. Iran's Moderation and Development Party announced Rouhani as its candidate for the presidential election slated for June, said the report. Rouhani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005 in reformist President Mohammad Khatami's time, said political parties need to be strengthened in Iran. Political parties in the Islamic republic do not have a major role in designating the country's political strategies. As for the presidential elections, for instance, candidates run for president individually, or influential political figures introduce their candidate for the elections. Out of dozens of the individuals registered for the campaign, a few are qualified by the Gurdian Council, the supreme legislative body of the country, to fight for the people's vote. However, Rouhani said recently that "parties can play a valuable role in the society." "Making important decisions will encounter serious problems if parties are not empowered and do not find their (rightful) place," he was quoted as saying by Press TV. The Moderation and Development Party did not detail on Rouhani' s programs regarding major challenges of the Islamic establishment, including domestic economy, international policy and nuclear issue. According to the report, so far, Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council and former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander Mohsen Rezaei, former Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahian, and former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki have declared their intention to run for the presidency. The presidential hopefuls will register from May 7 to May 11.