TEHRAN, April 29 (UPI) -- Former commander of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps Mohsen Rezaei officially announced his bid for Iran's presidency Wednesday on the Principlist ticket.
Rezaei had positioned himself as a contender on a crowded Principlist ticket, though he delayed announcing his formal intentions until now.
Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf and Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani are mentioned as possible contenders on the Principlist ticket for the June 7 presidential contest as well.
Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has not made a formal announcement on his intentions, though he is expected to seek another term.
Expediency Council Secretary Rezaei has called for the formation of a unity government that eschews partisan rancor if elected to office.
"Teamwork minimizes the margin for mistakes," he told Press TV. "It is much more in the interests of country to act upon agendas rather than tastes. A coalition government is much stronger than a one-man one."
Meanwhile, Assadollah Badamchian, an influential member of the Association of Islamic Leagues known for his right-wing views, lauded the Principlist platform based on "Islam and the Islamic Republic."
He went on to blast rivals in the Reformist camp for taking a decidedly Western slant during the presidential campaign, as Iranian Reformist presidential contender Mehdi Karroubi announced he has adopted "Change" as his campaign slogan for the June contest.
