Global Security Newswire

A former top Iranian nuclear negotiator on Tuesday touted his "moderate" track record as he signed up to join his country's June presidential race, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Iran has been locked in a years-long standoff with Western powers over its nuclear program, which Washington and its allies strongly suspect to be geared toward weapons development. Tehran insists its atomic ambitions are strictly peaceful.

"I have always been moderate and have had good and close relations with both moderate principlists and moderate reformists," said Hassan Rouhani, who headed atomic discussions with France, Germany and the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2005 under then-President Mohammad Khatami.

"I believe that moderate figures from both principlists and reformists will incline toward me and will support me," he added.

Rouhani reaffirmed the Iranian government's longstanding call for an end to U.N. Security Council involvement in the atomic dispute. The 15-nation body has adopted four sanctions resolutions to date aimed at pressuring Iran to address concerns over its nuclear efforts.

Contenders for Iran's presidency are expected to be overwhelmingly supportive of supreme leader Ali Khamenei, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday. The religious figure wields the final word on all Iranian political decisions.