Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to run for Iranian presidency Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran's conservative former president, will run for president next month in a challenge to the Islamic regime which could pave the way for moderate reformists to return to power. His main rivals will be those fundamentalists close to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has the last say in all state affairs and has had uneasy relations with Mr Rafsanjani in recent years. Candidates include Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili; Tehran mayor, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf; and former foreign minister, Ali-Akbar Velayati. "I am a 100 per cent happy because Mr Rafsanjani will unite us," said one reformist politician and former political prisoner. Iran's reformists argue that tensions with western countries over the nuclear programme and a purge of experienced officials in recent years have led to a toughening of international sanctions and high inflation - officially at 32.2 per cent but believed to be much higher. The process of registration for the June 14 election started on Tuesday ended on Saturday. Mr Rafsanjani registered in the last minutes before the deadline. The Guardian Council, the constitutional watchdog, will have up to 10 days to verify whether they are loyal to the Islamic regime. Mr Rafsanjani, 79, one of the founders of the Islamic regime, is highly unlikely to be disqualified. Hardliners tried to prevent his candidacy by issuing stern warnings in recent days that, as in 2005, he would not be able to win the election, because, they said, he is unpopular among voters, who see him as a symbol of corruption. This time, however, Mr Rafsanjani is expected to enjoy the support of reformist former president, Mohammad Khatami who urged his predecessor to run and help save the country. Kayhan, the mouthpiece of Iran's hardliners, warned Mr Rafsanjani this week that he could run for president but he would not win, in comments which have fuelled fears of rigging. Iran's reformists lost the election in 2009 allegedly because the poll was massively fraudulent, leading to the most serious unrest against the regime and more than 100 deaths. It is not yet clear if the unity between the two former presidents, who allegedly had a significant role in masterminding the unrest, would encourage the opposition Green Movement to revive street protests of four years ago. Meanwhile, president Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, who cannot run for a third term, threw his weight behind his former chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei. But it is doubtful that Mr Mashaei will be allowed to run, as he is accused of being disloyal to Iran's supreme leader. Many analysts wonder what Mr Ahmadi-Nejad's reaction would be to a disqualification, as his government is in charge of holding the election.