Reform Candidate Withdraws in Iran
By NAZILA FATHI
NYT
TEHRAN — Reversing a decision made five weeks ago, Mohammad Khatami, Iran’s reformist former president, has decided to withdraw from the June presidential race to support a political ally, the country’s semiofficial news agency reported Tuesday.
Mr. Khatami told campaign staff members at a meeting on Sunday that he expected to drop out of the race, according to news reports, and a close aide, Saeed Leylaz, a political analyst and economist, said Monday that his withdrawal was certain, as did two other members of Mr. Khatami’s campaign staff.
The Fars news agency on Tuesday quoted a statement from Mr. Khatami that said, “I announce my withdrawal from candidacy.”
“He does not want to compete with Mir-Hussein Moussavi,” said Mr. Leylaz, referring to a former prime minister who announced last week that he would run in the presidential election on June 12. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to seek re-election.
(More here.)
NYT
TEHRAN — Reversing a decision made five weeks ago, Mohammad Khatami, Iran’s reformist former president, has decided to withdraw from the June presidential race to support a political ally, the country’s semiofficial news agency reported Tuesday.
Mr. Khatami told campaign staff members at a meeting on Sunday that he expected to drop out of the race, according to news reports, and a close aide, Saeed Leylaz, a political analyst and economist, said Monday that his withdrawal was certain, as did two other members of Mr. Khatami’s campaign staff.
The Fars news agency on Tuesday quoted a statement from Mr. Khatami that said, “I announce my withdrawal from candidacy.”
“He does not want to compete with Mir-Hussein Moussavi,” said Mr. Leylaz, referring to a former prime minister who announced last week that he would run in the presidential election on June 12. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to seek re-election.
(More here.)
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