Khatami plays it close to vest on candidacy plans

Iran's former reformist president is under pressure to run again Siavosh Ghazi TEHRAN // Mohammad Khatami, Iran's former reformist president, is keeping quiet about whether he will run again in next June's election, despite pressure from other politicians and from friends to go for it. At a ceremony in his home town of Yazd in central Iran yesterday to "pay tribute to the son of the Yazd", he carefully avoided answering questions about his intentions.

He waved to students who were shouting "Khatami, the future president", to stop. The former leader is seen by his friends as the only one capable of beating incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has provoked international isolation with vitriolic statements against Israel and the United States and who is widely blamed for rampant inflation, which officially stands at 30 per cent. Mary Robinson, a former Irish president, one of several former European leaders to attend the ceremony, appeared to endorse Mr Khatami in comments made while she was in the town to celebrate a ceremony called "Yazd, the birthplace of Dialogue", which was organised by Mr Khatami's backers.

"If we had an American president open to dialogue and Khatami as Iran's president many things would change," Mrs Robinson said. "This ceremony smells election campaign," said Romano Prodi, a former Italian prime minister and one of the participants in the ceremony. In Yazd's traditional bazaar, criticism of Mr Ahmadinejad is rife. "The high cost of living stifles all. People come, look and leave without buying anything. There is no money," said Saeed, a 35-year old shopkeeper.

"I earn 2,500,000 rials [Dh926] per month. I'm lucky to live with my father. Otherwise, it would have been impossible," he said. "I voted for Ahmadinejad, but he brought nothing but problems. I will vote for Khatami this time." Several stores away, Mohammad Ali Beheshti, a jeweller who condemned Mr Khatami's "westernisation", acknowledges that the local man would have a chance next time. "I voted for Ahmadinejad and I will repeat it. Khatami is too westernised; he is not good for the country. But if he runs he will win," he said.

The jeweller criticised "the campaign and propaganda of enemies and media against Ahmadinejad and his economic policy", but he acknowledged that "inflation has cost Ahmadinejad votes". Outside the main entrance of the old city mosque (Masjed Jame), traders also complain about Mr Ahmadinejad's statements. "Before, there were cars full of tourists all the time. Today we see a vacuum. The president is the image of a country. Since Ahmadinejad, tourists no longer come," said a vendor who preferred not to be named.

Meanwhile, Mr Khatami has restored his image since his eight-year presidency ended in 2005, though some moderate voters said he has been too soft against the hardline regime. "This is a historic duty. If he does not run, people will say that Khatami could have saved the country and did nothing," said Mohammad Ali Abtahi, his former chief of staff. Everyone agrees that difficulties lie ahead. First, the economic problems, then the power structure, controlled by the conservatives.

"They will do everything to prevent him running," said his brother, Mohammad Reza, who is openly against Mr Khatami's candidacy. "Even if he wins the election, a hard battle will begin to wear him out," he said. Nonetheless, Mr Khatami's entourage are preparing themselves for his possible candidacy. "A year ago, I told him that I would not forgive [him] if he ran again. But today, things have changed. He must do what is in the interest of the country and God," Mr Khatami's mother, Sakineh Rezai, 85, said at her home. The former incumbent has just two or three months to make his mind up whether to run, Mr Khatami's brother believes.

* Agence France-Presse