Iran’s incumbent President Rouhani submits name for presidential race

Iran’s incumbent president, Hassan Rouhani, has put his name down for the upcoming 12th presidential election.

Rouhani arrived at the Iranian Interior Ministry's Election Office on Friday.

The registration process for the May 19 presidential election began on Tuesday and is scheduled to close on Saturday. 

Rouhani has been a member of the Assembly of Experts, the head of the Expediency Council's Center for Strategic Research, and a member of the Expediency Council.

He has also served as member of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC). He has also served as the council’s secretary and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.

Rouhani was a member of Iran's Parliament from 1980 to 2000, also serving as the deputy speaker of the parliament from 1992 to 2000.

He was elected as President of Iran on June 15, 2013 defeating Tehran mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and four other candidates. He took office on August 3, 2013.

Rouhani entered the 11th presidential contest with a slogan of “moderation” four years ago and succeeded in winning in the first round with some 50.88 percent of the vote.

'Promises kept'

Addressing reporters after putting his name down, Rouhani claimed to have fulfilled the pledges he gave the Iranian nation during during the campaign for his first term in office.

He added that the economic performance of the 11th Iranian administration was better than those of its predecessors in recent years, saying a project "unprecedented in the Iranian economy" and valued at 20 billion dollars would be inaugurated in the port city of Assaluyeh in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr next week.

He noted that under the 11th administration, the value of Iran’s currency has witnessed more stability in comparison with the Pound and Euro.

He further pointed to the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and emphasized that safeguarding the deal is one of the most important economic and political issues for the Iranian nation.

"We reached an agreement with the world on the most complex dossier, " he said, adding, "The same people who struggled day and night for this agreement should continue down its path until the last steps."

Rouhani also said establishing "a progressive and front-runner Iran" would be the main goal of the next administration, adding that maintaining national security has been among the most important objectives of the 11th administration.

"In terms of national and international security, the ominous shadow of war [over the country] has disappeared and with people-based security, we are witnessing rather unprecedented security in the history of Iran [and] in the turbulent region of the Middle East today," he said. 

"This path will continue. The rights of the Iranian nation have been realized, established consolidated and this course for the restoration of the rights of the nation will continue," he said.

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