Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told reporters today that he has not completely ruled out running in the next election but he sees a rough road ahead for the incoming president.
The Mehr News Agency reported that Hashemi Rafsanjani was speaking to reformist reporters, students and clerics on Sunday April 28 when he someone asked if his decision to forego the presidential race is final. He responded: “I am not saying I will not run but I admit that the next administration will have to deal with a heavy deficit.”
He stressed that in the past eight years, the policy of the Ahmadinejad administration has been to sideline forces loyal to the system, adding: “Ahmadinejad served as governor and prefect under me; I am familiar with him and know that his policy has always been to eliminate and defame revolutionary forces.”
The head of the Expediency Council criticized the performance of the Ahmadinejad administration and said only 23 percent of the 4th development plan has been accomplished, adding: “That 23 percent would have happened even without input from the administration, since farmers, public servants, teachers and the people would have continued with their duties.”
Hashemi Rafsanjani also criticized Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s foreign policy, saying the president first chose to dismiss international resolutions against Iran as “worthless pieces of paper”, but now it’s clear that they have cost the country dearly.
