Iran's ex-President Mohammad Khatami banned from speaking openly has defied the restrictions to endorse President Hassan Rouhani for a second term.
"Our candidate is Mr. Rouhani," Khatami said on his website, lauding Rouhani for leading Iran out of international isolation and securing the lifting of economic sanctions through the nuclear deal with world powers.
"Not choosing Rouhani means strengthening the possibility of the return of those difficult conditions," Bloomberg cited him as saying.
Khatami pushed for mutual understanding and improved relations with the West as president from 1997 to 2005.
On the other hand, the Front of Islamic Revolution Stability, an Iranian hardliner group, announced its support for conservative cleric, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in the election, Tasnim news agency reported.
