Tavakkoli touched on the priorities of a "second republic" and the importance of "a clean government for a clean nation" as constituting the main platform in his electoral campaign.

He said the transition to a second republic should be within the framework of the constitution, the first priority being a clean-up of the government and the eradication of corruption and injustice.

He said the first question usually asked is where development should begin, adding that he believes it is in the executive power and for which reason he has chosen "A Second Republic" and "A Clean Government for a Clean Nation" as his campaign slogans.

He said the rebuilding of public trust is a necessity if a clean government is to be implemented.

He added that one of the serious strategies he has envisaged for his "second republic" is to have centralized monitoring and strong supervision over functions of executive officials instead of close monitoring of personal lives of people.

The candidate said the second strategy he would use to achieve a clean government would be to adopt rational and scientific policies to make government efficient.

He warned of the dangers of bringing government differences to public awareness, saying it is just as dangerous to take public opinion as a judge of government performance as it is to disregard it. Such practices, he said, could lead to rifts between the government and the nation.

He said the third strategy he would use to achieve a clean government is to adopt a balanced strategy for development. The strategy, he elaborated, would make the government responsible for three things: consolidation of freedom, administration of justice, and security and economic efficiency.

Development in social ethics is another component of a clean government, he added.

The candidate expressed hope that the people would take his hand and work together to materialize his campaign slogan of "A Clean Government for a Clean Nation."

Tavakoli, a Ph.D. in Economics from Nottingham University in the UK, served as labor minister in the government of former prime minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and was then the government spokesman. Thereafter he turned to writing.

He ran in the 6th presidential elections, obtaining some four million votes.

He now teaches at Martyr Beheshti University and has just published a book entitled "Government Markets, Prosperity and Dismays."