Wampum

The deadline is the 14th, then the GC has ten days to winnow out the unfit (there may be 100 filings) and the election takes place on the 17th. IRNA text follows.

Head of Expediency Council (EC) Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani declared here Tuesday night his intention to stand as a candidate in the upcoming 9th presidential elections on June 17.

In an official bulletin released to the Iranian people, a copy of which was received by IRNA, he said: Once again, it is necessary that I declare my intentions to run for presidency and put myself to your vote.

A detailed description of the bulletin will be transmitted later.

So, much as I and others would prefer Moeen, Rafsanjani is the best choice when the election issue is defese of the relm. I've been betting on Rafsanjani since XIV, even X.

Update: Absent progress in negociations with the E3, Iran announced it is restarting the U3O8 (yellowcake) to UF6 (hexafloride) conversion. The second week of the 2005 NPT Review Conference has gotten nowhere. Hans Blix is interviewed by Al Jazeera, and in a nutshell, its Bush, Bush, Bolton, and Bush.