In this statement, (issued on Monday, 15 May 2017) Ghalibaf attacked Rouhani’s faction: “I knew I will face such a complicated and dangerous situation. It was clear that in order to bring a fundamental change to the current situation, there was no solution but to fight the four percentage of our population, who, for many years, have been controlling the political and economical arteries of our country, and not only have never resolved the most important social and economical problems, but on the contrary have stirred crisis especially recession and unemployment by preferring their own interests and engaging in vast unlawful action. ”

By calling Rouhani an opportunist, Ghalibaf adds: It is very costly to fight against those so-called “revolutionary” opportunists, since this trend, has been biting slowly at the roots of the revolution. They are not only a group in basic ideological conflict with original revolutionaries, but a movement seeing its interests in danger. 

A state-run website affiliated to Rouhani’s faction affirms: “In spite of lashing Jahangiri and calling him a “cover and defender of Rouhani” and “whose presence only increased the election’s costs”, Ghalibaf was the first to withdraw from the election. 

The website adds: “although some sources said that propably Raissi will withdraw in favor of Ghalibaf, but Ghalibaf’s vote loss over the recent weeks prompted him to withdraw.”