Intriguingly, many of the potential contenders so far have one thing in common – they have been involved in the international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Hassan Rohani, who was the country’s chief nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005, is the latest politician to tacitly acknowledge that he is intending to stand. Rohani told reporters in early January that it was time for a “new tone” in Iranian nuclear policy and that President Ahmadinejad had been too “confrontational”.
Ali Larijani, the current speaker of parliament, is another possible candidate with a nuclear past. In 2005, he succeeded Mr Rohani as Iran’s nuclear negotiator, but his moderate and pragmatic stand also put him at odds with the president and he resigned after two years.
Another name in the hat is Saeed Jalili, Iran’s current chief nuclear envoy. A tough negotiator who lost a leg during the Iran-Iraq war, Mr Jalili is keeping silent about his intentions.
Ali Akbar Salehi, the current foreign minister and former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).
