Ghalibaf Ready to 'Exchange His Family's Assets for Half of Rouhani's House'

On Thursday, the family members of Ayatollah Montazeri, the deputy of the first leader of the Islamic Republic, issued a statement supporting Hassan Rouhani in the upcoming presidential elections. On the same day, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, another presidential candidate, accused Rouhani of financial opacity and stated that he is willing to exchange all of his and his family's assets for half of Rouhani's house. With eight days left until the presidential elections, the campaign activities of candidates and endorsements from various political figures continue, the latest being the support from Ayatollah Montazeri's family for the current president. The statement from Ayatollah Montazeri's family reads: 'The current election is not a simple choice between two or more individuals; it is a choice between two completely different thoughts and actions. It is a choice between peace and coexistence in the international arena while maintaining the dignity of the Islamic Republic or adventurism and creating enemies abroad and stripping the freedoms enshrined in the constitution domestically.' Previously, Ahmad Montazeri, the son of Ayatollah Montazeri, had called Ebrahim Raisi's candidacy in the presidential elections 'an insult to the nation.' Ebrahim Raisi was a member of the four-person committee responsible for the mass executions of political prisoners in 1988. Ayatollah Montazeri opposed these executions without trial at that time and called the committee members 'historical criminals' in a meeting. Last year, Ayatollah Montazeri's family released an audio file of this meeting, which led to Ahmad Montazeri's trial in the clerical court. However, this did not prevent Raisi's candidacy in the presidential elections. Warning from Mohammad Beheshti's family to Raisi The Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, published a statement from Mohammad Beheshti's family on Thursday, which contained sharp remarks directed at Ebrahim Raisi. In Raisi's election campaign, he has been referred to as 'similar to Beheshti' or 'Beheshti's legacy,' but Beheshti's family has called this 'instrumental and personal exploitation' of him. The Beheshti family's statement says: 'The scourge of this Islamic revolution is that it is afflicted by actors who commodify Islam and the revolution and everything; a commodity of power, a commodity of wealth, a commodity of fame, and a commodity of presidency!' The statement continues: 'The honorable people of Iran have not forgotten how a movement that took over the affairs of the country under the guise of the esteemed martyr Rajai derailed the train of the revolution, which was on the path of growth and prosperity, and inflicted extensive damage on this country.' Mohammad Beheshti was a prominent cleric during the 1979 revolution, the first president of the Supreme Court after the revolution, the first secretary-general of the Islamic Republic Party, and the deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts. He was killed on July 7, 1981, during a bombing at the Islamic Republic Party's office. Conservatives had previously referred to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as another Rajai. Mohammad Ali Rajai was the second president of Iran, who was assassinated in a bomb explosion on September 8, 1981. Ghalibaf: Why doesn't Rouhani publish his asset list? Meanwhile, the Mehr News Agency reported on Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf's statements on Thursday, where he said: 'I just made a simple suggestion that candidates should come and announce their asset lists to the people; I don't know what was so controversial about this simple suggestion.' He further stated: 'The gentlemen seem to be very worried, but if they really claim transparency, instead of diverting this clear statement with political stand-ups, they should announce their asset lists to the people. I will also announce my asset list on Friday, and then it will be clear how much they will lose... because I know Mr. Rouhani is not willing to announce his asset list, and for this reason, issues remain opaque; I am ready to exchange my residential home and all my assets, not only my own but also my entire family's, for just half of Mr. Rouhani's house.' He did not mention the value of the Iranian president's house. In response to Ghalibaf's request for candidates to publish their asset lists, Hassan Rouhani's advisor, Hesameddin Ashna, stated that 'executive officials have declared their assets to the judiciary according to the law, and now we hope this law will also apply to other officials, including mayors.' Previously, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, the oil minister, and Abbas Akhoundi, the minister of housing and urban development, had expressed their willingness to go to the 'notary' and exchange all their assets with those of Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf. This campaign has become known as the 'Notary Campaign.' The mayor of Tehran has not responded to these requests. Other candidates for the elections Mustafa Mir Salim, the former minister of culture and Islamic guidance, who has been nominated by the Motalefeh party, also said on Thursday that he wants to realize the unfulfilled rights of the people, including jobs, housing, and the provision of political and social freedoms. Ebrahim Raisi also recounted a memory from his trip to Africa, saying that one of Nelson Mandela's friends assured him that the Islamic Republic has 'the best constitution in the world' because it considers both divine ideals and the people's vote. In this context, Ghalibaf accused Rouhani of 'lying'; Raisi called for the Islamization of universities; the disqualification of dozens of council election candidates based on the prosecutor's list; Ahmadinejad stated that it does not matter which of the election candidates wins; the police deputy chief urged commanders to ask their forces to be more vigilant in cyberspace; elections and the poverty of political elites in Iran.