A former head of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced on Saturday May 8 his intention to run for the presidential election on June 18 and advocated a "
strong
" government, far from partisan divisions .
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Aged 53, Saïd Mohammad headed the engineering and construction department of the Guardian Corps for two years, before resigning from this post to run for president.
But he remains an adviser to General Hossein Salami, the head of the elite army.
"
I decided to present my candidacy after a call from the Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) for new blood to leadership positions
," he said at a press conference in Tehran.
The period for submitting presidential candidatures to the Council of Guardians of the Constitution runs from May 11 to 15.
And the final list of candidates must be approved by this same institution.
The brigadier general stressed that his campaign was "not
associated with any movement, party or faction
".
"
I am firmly opposed to any polarization of society (...) Talking about left, right, reformists and conservatives, all this harms the country.
"
Ayatollah Khamenei has called in recent months for massive participation in the ballot and called for the election of a young president.
Asked if the country needed a president from the ranks of the army, Saïd Mohammad called on the media to judge him on his "
ideas
", "
abilities
" and "
achievements
". “
People are tired. Not the (system) but mismanagement, empty words (...) They want reforms (...) We need a strong government
, ”he said.
