Mahmoud Ahmadinejad submits name for presidential poll

TEHRAN: Iranian ultra-conservative ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad put his name forward on Wednesday as a candidate to succeed moderate President Hassan Rouhani in elections next month.

"Millions of people across the country have invited me to stand for election, and even ordered me to come here to register, placing a heavy responsibility on my shoulders," Ahmadinejad said, speaking after he submitted his application to the interior ministry.

The build-up to June 18 polls comes as Iran and world powers wrangle over reviving a 2015 nuclear accord, from which the US withdrew unilaterally in 2018, reimposing crippling sanctions.