Tehran - The former Iranian president, Mr Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the leading conservative vote-getter, has withdrawn from the new parliament in order to preserve "national unity", a former adviser said yesterday.
He said Mr Rafsanjani, a veteran revolutionary cleric, had written a letter apologising to his supporters but saying a smear campaign surrounding allegations of voter fraud had forced him to withdraw "in order to ensure national unity".
Pro-reform rivals have challenged official results from parliamentary polls last February that showed Mr Rafsanjani taking the 20th of 30 seats from the Tehran constituency.
Preliminary results released after the vote had the former president just clinging to the final slot.
Critics say his increased standing in the final tally was the result of a decision by the conservative Guardian Council to manipulate the final outcome for Mr Rafsanjani's benefit.