Iranian Reformist presidential candidate Mohammad Reza Aref says he has no intention of forming a coalition with rival candidate Hassan Rohani for the June 14 vote.<\/p>\n
In an interview with the Mehr New Agency on Sunday, Aref said he would stay in the presidential race “to the end.”\n<\/p>\n
\u00c5\u201cIf elected president, I will form workgroups and interact with the elite in various sectors in the country and announce my plans,\u201d Aref, a former first vice president, said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Stating that a million job opportunities need to be created in Iran every year, the reformist candidate underlined the importance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the process of job creation.<\/p>\n
\u00c5\u201cICT should create some 200,000 direct job opportunities in the country [annually],\u201d the presidential candidate said.\n<\/p>\n
Aref faces seven rivals: Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, President of the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Council Hassan Rohani, lawmaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, Secretary of Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Gharazi.\n<\/p>\n
The president of Iran is elected for a four-year term in a national election.\n<\/p>\n
YH\/NN\/HMV<\/p>\n