Bahman Sharifzade a cleric close close to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s top aide, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaee, said Mahaee will register for presidential election on Saturday which is last day of Candidate registration for the presidential election.
“Mashaee has more than 40% of votes and all of parties, from reformists to principalists admitted to his popularity,” Sharifzadeh said in an interview with reformist Shargh newspaper.
Mashaee was labeled by Principalists as part of a “deviant current” that critics say seeks to undermine Islamic rule in Iran.
Given to Mashaee’s controversial remarks in recent years, the conventional wisdom is that he will be denied entrance to the Presidential race by the Guardian Council.
“There is no reason for denying Mashaee to enter to the Presidential Election,” Sharifzadeh said.
Mashaee who was the Chief of Staff in Ahmadinejad’s administration, left the office as Ahmadinejad suggested and became the head of the Non Aligned Movement Secretariat.
Then Ahmadinejad began a speaking tour around Iran in the beginning of the new Iranian year and Mashaee was present at each step.
Mashaee will be Iran’s president. No Doubt!