TEHRAN, April 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Iranian former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Monday definitely expressed his will to participate in the upcoming race for presidency on June 17, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    "The issue of presidency is among my current preoccupations and although I would like someone else to take up this responsibility, I think I have to take this bitter medicine," Rafsanjani was quotedas saying.

    "I think I have to take this bitter medicine since what I didn'tlike to happen is apparently occurring," Rafsanjani added.

    IRNA described the former president's statement as "within an inch of announcing his intention to make a comeback."

    Rafsanjani, who is 71 years old now and currently holds the chairmanship of the powerful Expediency Council, served two terms as president from 1989 to 1997.

    He is presently qualified to compete for his third term, for thelaw does not prohibit a president to run for an inconsecutive thirdterm.

    In a public-opinion poll held by IRNA in March, Rafsanjani topped the list of several possible candidates. According to the survey of 7,100 people in 11 cities, 13.9 percent said that they would vote for Rafsanjani.

    Rafsanjani has been known for his pragmatic ideas of administration, which incurred hatred and criticism of the conservatives in the country.

    Several members of the hardline Majlis (Parliament) in last October tried to draft a law to set an upper age limit of 70 for presidency election, a move apparently aimed to rule Rafsanjani out. Enditem