TEHRAN – Reformist MP Elias Hazrati has said Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri and Mohammad Reza Aref, chairman of the pro-reform Hope faction in the parliament, will run for the post of president in 2021.

“As far as I know, Mr. Aref is determined to run in the 1400 (2021) election; Mr. Jahangiri will naturally run as well,” Hazrati said in an interview with Tasnim published on Tuesday.

Aref was a candidate in the 2013 presidential election but withdrew his candidacy upon an advice by Mohammad Khatami who acted as his right-hand man from 2001-2005. Jahangiri ran in 2017, but he withdrew his candidacy in favor of President Rouhani, who was seeking re-election.

MH/PA