Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Registers For May 19 Presidential Election; Critics Say He’s Not Qualified

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has registered for the May 19 presidential election on Wednesday despite a previous announcement of not running. The former president was advised by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei not to run for his own country's good. However, Ahmadinejad believes that this advice should not mean he is banned from running.

Ahmadinejad Responds To The Leader's  Advice

Ahmadinejad revealed that he has no plans to run for president. According to the former Iran leader, he is only expressing his full support to the candidacy of his protege, Hamid Baghaei, five months later. Incidentally, Ahmadinejad's two consecutive terms - which was called "Ahmadinejad era - were known for bad governance, heavy market intervention, data rigging, and suspected financial irregularities.

Meantime, Ahmadinejad denied the allegations that his government was not the "cleanest in Iran's history". It is important to note that during his administration, the country's ties were taken to an unprecedented low point, while Iran's nuclear dossier rose into a drawn-out diplomatic impasse that was resolved peacefully in 2015 during the Rouhani administration, Payvand reported.

Ahmadinejad' Registration Move Challenges Other Presidential Hopefuls

The registration move by Ahmadinejad is expected to begin a confrontation with other presidential aspirants, especially cleric Ebrahim Raisi, who is expected to become the main challenger to the pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani. Incidentally, the constitution allows Rouhani to seek a second term.

Ahmadinejad is also believed to challenge Rouhani, which Raisi fails to do given his weak grassroots support. Meantime, presidential newbies are set to be screened for their political and Islamic capabilities by a vetting body called the Guardians Council.

Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad's critics who are also familiar with the issue are doubtful is he is qualified by the 12-member overseeing body. A political analyst from Tehran believes that the former leader will not be qualified, Tehran Times reported.