TEHRAN – Iran’s former president Mohammad Khatami officially announced his withdrawal from the June presidential race yesterday to avoid splitting the votes of the reformist front.
But analysts say Mr Khatami’s withdrawal will boost hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s chances of re-election.
Mr Khatami, Iran’s most liberal president since the Islamic revolution in 1979, was considered the main pro-reform challenger to Mr Ahmadinejad who succeeded him in 2005.
Mr Khatami said he would back moderate candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.
“I announce my withdrawal from candidacy . . . to preserve unity among the reformist front and to avoid a split of votes,” Mr Khatami said, confirming comments by his allies on Monday.
The outcome of the June election could influence Iran’s approach in its standoff with the West over its nuclear programme, even though Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on such issues.
The ayatollah has publicly praised Mr Ahmadinejad, and analysts say the fate of the presidential election could depend on whether the president retains the support of Mr Khamenei, whose words could influence millions.
Mr Khatami, who served from 1997 to 2005, oversaw a thaw in relations with the West. Those relations have since sharply worsened under Mr Ahmadinejad.
Mr Mousavi, prime minister during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, and reformer and former parliament speaker Mehdi Karoubi, have announced they will run.
Mr Ahmadinejad is, so far, the only leading conservative to let it be known that he will stand.
“I believe . . . Mousavi has the necessary competence to change the current situation,” Mr Khatami said. “Despite differences in our opinions and actions, the important thing is that . . . seriously defends and will defend the fundamental rights and freedoms and . . . the country’s international reputation.”
Mr Karroubi switched to the reformist camp during the eight-year presidency of fellow cleric Mr Khatami but he sometimes buckled to pressure from Iran’s hardline religious establishment, which blocked Mr Khatami’s reforms.
Some political analysts say many Iranians do not regard Mr Mousavi, a former conservative, as a reformist because he does not believe in western-style economic and political reforms.
“Compared to Ahmadinejad, Mousavi is a moderate figure because he believes in press and individual freedoms,” said Saeed Laylaz, editor of the Sarmayeh business daily. – (Reuters)