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Ahmadinejad to run for second term of presidency

09 May 2009 12:34 (UTC +04:00)

Tehran â€“APA. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially declared that he would run for a second term in the presidential elections on June 12, 2009, APA reports. Ahmadinejad was elected in 2005 and the Iranian legislation allowed to the president to run for the second term.
Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, who led the country in 1997-2005, withdrew his candidacy before the elections. Ahmadinejadâ€™s rival in the last elections was Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was the president in 1989-1997.
The Iranian parliament tightened requirements to the presidential candidates last November. The Iranian citizens, 45-70 and having the Masterâ€™s degree or other academic degrees can be elected the president. The candidates must be Shia.