Rouhani enters presidential race

ehran, Iran, April 14 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has submitted his name for candidacy in this year's presidential election. Rouhani has arrived at the Interior Ministry where candidates enroll, Trend correspondent reported April 14. Iran’s presidential election is going to be held on May 19. Rouhani’s major rivals seems be former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and an influential conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi. Ahmadinejad joint to elections race despite Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s advice for him to avoid registration in elections. Beside Ahmadinejad, moderate Rouhani, backed by a group of reformists will have to fight off the challenge from Ebrahim Raisi. A large number of conservatives appear to throw their full support behind Raisi who currently holds the position of the custodian of a wealthy charity and the organization in charge of the holiest Shia shrine of Iran based in the city of Mashhad.