Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (FNA)- The reformist National Trust Party has officially nominated party leader Mehdi Karroubi as its candidate for Iran’s next presidential race.
In a unanimous vote, the party’s central council approved Karroubi’s participation in Iran’s 10th presidential race as the National Trust candidate, party spokesman Ismail Gerami Moqaddam announced.
The decision was made following three weeks of deliberations at the party’s central council, he added according to press tv.
The two-time former parliament speaker has not yet responded to his party’s choice and will announce his decision in upcoming weeks, Gerami-Moqaddam noted.
Mehdi Karroubi, Secretary General of the National Trust Party, stood as a candidate in Iran’s 9th presidential elections in 2005.
Iran’s 10th presidential elections will take place in mid-2009.
The National Trust Party belongs to the Reformist Coalition as opposed to the Conservative Alliance.
Some within the Reformist camp have argued that the nomination would create a rift within the coalition as other Reformist parties have indicated a desire to persuade former president Mohammad Khatami to contest the election.
Talking to MNA earlier, spokesman for Servants of Construction Party (SCP) Hossein Marashi said it is still soon to judge whether Karroubi’s nomination would divide the Reformist Coalition.
He said Khatami has not yet made any decision as to whether he would run for president, giving assurances that SCP would respect selection of a consensus candidate by the coalition should there be any.
