(ifp) -- In an unofficial session on Saturday, all members-elect of the Iranian capital’s city council voted for the presidency of Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was the only candidate for the post.

Morteza Alviri and Ahmad Masjed-Jamei, two other senior members of the Council, earlier withdrew from running for the post in favour of Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Alviri later noted that his withdrawal was a move to increase the unity of the all-reformist Council.

The new City Council, which will start its work on August 23, earlier elected Mohammad-Ali Najafi, a senior reformist and former education and science minister, as the new mayor of Tehran, replacing the conservative Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf.