Ahmadinejad Surprisingly Registers to Run for Iran President

Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to everyone’s surprise, registered for the country’s presidency on Wednesday, along with two of his allies Hamid Baqaei and Esfandyar Rahim-Mashaei.

A few months ago, the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei advised ex-president Ahmadinejad against running for Iran’s presidency.

Following the advice, Ahmadinejad wrote a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, saying he will not run, and even support anyone for the post.

However, he later expressed his support for his deputy Hamid Baqaei, who was going to run for president.

While everyone was expecting Ahmadinejad to accompany Baqaei on Wednesday in declaring his presidential bid, the former president surprisingly signed up his own name and said the Leader had just advised him against running.

“I believe the Leader’s advice was not a ban, it was just a piece of advice,” Ahmadinejad told reporters today, according to media reports.

Not only Ahmadinejad, but also his ally Baqaei applied for presidency.

Iran’s presidential election will be held on May 19.

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