TEHRAN – Former MP Seyyed Mehdi Hashemi has been appointed as Ebrahim Raisi’s presidential campaign chief in Tehran, Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday.

Hashemi, who used to be a member of the civil development committee of the Majlis, said, “Raisi goes beyond parties, is popular, and a symbol of Dr. Beheshti (a top jurist who was assassinated in June 1981.”

“Raisi used to have high demand to run for president in [2013] as well, but he did not accept the demands,” Hashemi pointed out.

SP/PA