TEHRAN – On Monday, Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf withdrew his presidential candidacy in favor of Ebrahim Raisi.

According to the Tasnim news agency, the decision was made after the central council of the Popular Forces of the Islamic Revolution held a meeting to assess the situation ahead of the Friday election.

At the meeting, both Raisi and Qalibaf announced their readiness to withdraw in favor of the other, however at the end Qalibaf gave up the bid for the presidential post and insisted that he will use all his energy for victory of Raisi in the race to unseat the “incapable” sitting government, the news agency stated.