TEHRAN – Mehdi Kalhor, a journalist and cultural advisor to former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced his candidacy on Friday, emphasizing he has distanced himself from his former boss.

“I took a separate path from that of Ahmadinejad in the year 89 (2010) and I’m not his candidate,” he said, adding despite their disagreements, his cooperation with the former president had been very successful.

Kalhor also said that he had not discussed his plans to run for president with Ahmadinejad.

MH/PA