Tehran-Iran to be friend to other countries: presidential candidate

BEIJING, June 1 -- The man who would be Iran's next president is extending an olive branch to nations around the world.

Iranian presidential candidate and former prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi said Sunday night at a rally in Tehran that Iran should be a friend to other countries. His pledge was met with near-deafening applause and cheers at a stadium full of supporters, according to Xinhua correspondent Zhang Shuhui.

Mousavi says Iran's top priority is self-development, and that Iran wants to be friends--not rivals--with the rest of the world.

Soundbite: Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Iran's reformist presidential candidate and former prime minister "We need to cooperate with the world, rather than dominate it. We should develop our nation first. And friendship with other nations are expected."

Mousavi also took the opportunity Sunday to openly criticize economic policies set by current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying they've resulted in nothing but inflation and unemployment.

Mousavi, who claims to represent Iran's reformist movement, is a politician, painter and architect. He was prime minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989 before a change in the constitution removed the post.

Three other candidates are also running for president, including former Parliamenty Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and former Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezaei. Voters go to the polls June 12.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tehran.

(Source: XHTV)