By Saturday morning, a long list of 1045 people have submitted their names to the Headquarters in the Interior Ministry during four days. Apart from the political figures and former cabinet ministers, a large number of those registered in elections belong to people from all walks of life.
But the list still waits heavy-weight names as Tehran's mayor Mr. Ghalibaf who had sent mixed signals as to his registration or the abandoning of campaign and to leave the arena for Mr. Raeisi, who would probably be the sole Principlist candidate. Mr. Ghalibaf had issued a statement earlier this month to announce that he would not run for presidency.
From among the former cabinet ministers, Hamidreza Hajbabaei and Mohammadmehdi Zahedi, currently serving as an MP, also registered in on Saturday.
Of Constructionist Front of late Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, his brother Mohammad Hashemi, former head of IRIB in 1990s announced his registration; "I will continue campaign as far as conditions would be favorable," he told reporters covering the registrations in the Headquarters in Tehran's Fatemi Square.
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