Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf 2017 presidential campaign

Mohammad Reza Mirtajodini said on 3 January 2017 that Ghalibaf "will run for presidential post only if all principlist groups concur on him".^[3] Answering to the question on 7 January 2017 whether he has any plan to run for president, Ghalibaf said "We have a duty to work. The place of it is not significant".^[4]

Ghalibaf issued a public statement presumed about not intending to run for office a third time. On April 10, Parviz Sorouri, former MP close to Ghalibaf, said that he has not conclusively stepped aside.^[5]

In his previous campaigns, Ghalibaf has long tried to cultivate an image as a "man of action",^[6] "can-do manager", and according to a leaked US cable, as a "pragmatic moderniser".^[7]

According to BBC, he is known as a "modern and snappy dresser with an eye for style. In past appearances on the campaign trail he has dressed in a leather jacket and a white pilot's uniform – designed to appeal to younger voters".^[8] He has tried to showcase himself as symbol of the so-called “Jihadi management".^[6]

Ghalibaf's campaign has released a children's song for him.^[9] His campaign symbol is "watch".^[10]

Usage of Rabia sign

Ghalibaf's meeting (2017)

Egyptian demonstrations (2013)

In 2013, Ghalibaf followed a three-part strategy: Showing himself loyal to the supreme leader, attacking his rivals and showcasing his image as a moderate politician.^[11]

In 2017, it changed to portraying himself as the only conservative candidate while appealing as the representative of the poor class, and attracting the votes of the middle class. He divides the society to "the 96%" and "the 4% leeches", who are violating the rights of the latter –loosely adopted from 99% coined by the Occupy movement and imitation of Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2016– while claiming to fight for the rights of the 96 percenters. He also tried to attract reformist voters with repeating Mir-Hossein Mousavi's famous 2009 statement, however he seemingly used Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's tactic, i.e. showing a document on the air.^[12] Following the events, some social media users cropped the hashtag #Qalicopy up to criticize Ghalibaf because of copying ideas of different political movements.^[13]

Ghalibaf's populism is believed to be modeled on Donald Trump's presidential campaign.^[14]

Ghalibaf controls his public relations team, active in social media and a cluster of press^[15] including Hamshahri institute newspapers and magazines, and Farda and Shaffaf news websites.^[16]