World Bulletin/News Desk

Islamic Republic of Iran Interior Ministry minutes ago Tuesday evening announced names of approved candidates by Guardians Council for upcoming 11th IRI Presidential Elections, IRNA reported.

Secretary of Countryˈs Elections Headquarters Seyyed Soulat Mortazavi in an interview with IRNA announced, ˈAccording to Article 60 of Presidential Elections Law, the names of the eight approved candidates for the 11th Presidential Election of the 11th Islamic Republic Presidential Election, are hereby announced.ˈ

He added that the names in (Persian language) alphabetical order are as follows:

1. Saˈeid Jalili

2. Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel

3. Mohsen Rezaˈie

4. Hassan Rowhani

5. Mohammad-Reza Aref

6. Mohammad Qarazi

7. Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf

8. Ali-Akbar Velayati

Iran will hold the 11th presidential election on June 14, 2013. The voters will select the successor of the current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is not able to participate in the elections for the third term according to the country's constitutional laws.

The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election and the Guardian Council vets the candidates for qualifications.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday he would take up the ban of his close aide from the June 14 presidential vote with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.

Iran's electoral watchdog on Tuesday disqualified Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, Ahmadinejad's former chief of staff, from running in the June 14 presidential vote.

"In my opinion there will be no problem with the Leader and I will take up this issue until the last moment with him," Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday, according to the ISNA news agency. "I am hopeful the problem will be solved."

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a veteran companion of the Islamic Republic's founder and a former president was also denied a place on the ballot by the Guardian Council of clerics and jurists, state media said.

PROFİLES:

Ali-Akbar Velayati: Top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on international affairs. Velayati, 67, served as foreign minister during the 1980-88 war with Iraq and into the 1990s. He is a physician and runs a hospital in north Tehran.

Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf: Tehran mayor and former commander of the Revolutionary Guard during the Iran-Iraq war. Qalibaf, 51, is a pilot who enjoys good relations with Khamenei.

Hassan Rowhani: A former nuclear negotiator and Khamenei's representative at the Supreme National Security Council, which also handles the nuclear dossier. Rowhani, 64, is a British-educated cleric.

Mohammad-Reza Aref: Liberal-leaning former vice president under reformist President Mohammad Khatami. Aref, 61, a former Tehran University chancellor, vowed to drop out of race if Khatami decides to run.

Mohsen Rezaˈie: Former chief commander of the Revolutionary Guard. Rezaei, 58, ran in 2009, but finished fourth. He currently is secretary of the Expediency Council, which mediates between the parliament and Guardian Council.

Saˈeid Jalili: Iran's top nuclear negotiator since 2007. Jalili, 47, began his career as a diplomat in 1991. He has the support of ultraconservative cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, who was previously seen as Ahmadinejad's spiritual mentor.

Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel: A 68-year-old former parliament speaker, who is currently a member of the Expediency Council and considered a strong conservative voice. His daughter is married to Khamenei's son.

Mohammad Qarazi: A former oil and telecommunications minister. Gharazi, 71, also served in parliament in the 1980s and '90s. He is considered conservative and portrays himself as a steady-handed technocrat.