TEHRAN – Tehran Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani on Friday stated that the presidential candidates should run a clean campaign based on the Islamic ethics.

Presidential candidates “must not tarnish their rivals’ reputation” for power, rather should direct their electoral efforts based on the Islamic ethics, he told worshippers in Tehran.
He said that presidential contenders should present their plans in a calm atmosphere without trying to destroy other candidates’ image.
Iran will hold its next presidential election on June 12.
Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to stand for re-election, while former president Mohammad Khatami and National Confidence Party leader Mahdi Karroubi are the reformist politicians who have officially declared their candidacies.
Kashani also said the world is now fully aware of the fact that the U.S. conduct towards Iran has not been acceptable.
Even U.S. experts believe that the United States must talk to Iran in a climate of “mutual respect”, he added.
U.S. President Barack Obama has expressed his willingness to enter into direct talks with Iran.
“My expectation is in the coming months we will be looking for openings that can be created where we can start sitting across the table, face to face, diplomatic overtures that will allow us to move our policy in a new direction,” Obama said in his first news conference in early February.
However, Obama said, “There's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it’s not going to happen overnight.""