Warlord Khalifa Haftar has joined the presidential race after officially announcing that he will run for the presidential elections next month, in a televised speech, on Tuesday.

Khalifa Haftar, who still holds US citizenship, is pursued in a Virginia court for allegedly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Tripoli, Benghazi, Derna, and elsewhere in Libya.

The Libyan Military Prosecutor has also called the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) to stop Haftar and Saif Al-Gaddafi's electoral registration until they undergo interrogation for accusations of crimes filed against them.

In his speech for the presidential nomination, Haftar said that he has no intention in seeking power or any position, but his decision to run for the president chair comes in compliance "with the rules of democracy and in implementation of the agreed-upon road map and after his trust in God."

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that Khalifa Haftar's son, Saddam, made a secrete trip to Tel Aviv on November 8 promising to establish ties with Israel if his father heads the new government that takes over the country following the presidential elections on December 24.

Saddam Haftar has been receiving assistance from Public relations (PR) companies and advisors based in France and the UAE, according to the same source, adding that unconfirmed reports suggested that Haftar’s representatives are working at a firm based in the UAE with Israelis.

The announcement of his candidacy comes two days after Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, registered as a presidential candidate for the country’s election.

His decision to run will enrage many who accuse him of seeking to establish a military dictatorship through elections after his failed offense to take over the country in 2019.