A reformist activist says Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has little chance of garnering enough votes to win the presidential race on June 14.
Abbas Abdi, who is a distinguished figure among reformists, said Rafsanjani will not succeed in the upcoming election because of his age and political conditions.
He pointed to Rafsanjanis defeats in the 2000 parliamentary and the 2005 presidential elections as another reason for his probable failure.
Abdi said Rafsanjanis participation in the presidential race will influence the atmosphere of the election, and will lead to political strife that would be good neither for him, nor for the Iranian society.
The registration for the 11th presidential election of Iran ended on May 11, with 686 individuals having signed up for the June 14 race.
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election.
The Guardian Council, a 12-member body consisting of six jurists and six theologians, is tasked with vetting hopefuls for their qualifications and confirming the election results.