TEHRAN - President Mohammad Khatami here Friday renewed his resolve to seek more powers to implement his programs by pushing through a bill to that effect in the Majlis and vowed to seriously follow up the matter.

Khatami, at a meeting with members of the Second of Khordad Faction, said the president in the Islamic Republic has a mission to implement the Constitution with a view to reinforcing unity, progress and solidarity in running the affairs of the country.

"Under the Iranian Constitution, the president, as the second highest ranking figure in the Islamic Republic, has a duty to champion the rights of the nation, and guarantee the implementation of laws in the country," he said.

Khatami said that as president he had a most challenging mission to promote and strengthen the Islamic Republic and to safeguard national interests, adding that this was actually what the presidential oath had obliged him to do.

He referred to the bill to extend the authority of the president and stressed that he never advocated a stronger say in state affairs, adding that he merely wanted to be more responsive to the people.

Khatami's long-awaited bill to bolster his executive authority was presented to the Majlis Tuesday.

The bill redefines presidential powers by highlighting his right to warn any of the highest-ranking officials of the three branches of government whenever necessary and to mete out punishment if the warning is not heeded.

The president said that the bill was nothing new, as a similar move had been taken before, adding that he should have prepared the bill much earlier. "If I am to be asked a question on the bill, it must be on the delay of my presenting it to the Majlis," he said. "Still, I had declared three years ago that it is still impossible to thoroughly implement the Constitution and that the legislative approaches toward that end must first be devised."

Khatami said he had exercised much patience and prudence in preparing the bill as his duty called for within the Islamic system. He stated that he had prepared the bill as the least authority that is granted to him to carry out his "revolutionary, religious and national obligations, as the Iranian president."

"In my efforts to prepare the bill, I have been trying to promote understanding and define the boundaries of duties in all domains," the Iranian president said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Khatami expressed hope that the Majlis would launch expert studies on the bill and debate it, regardless of the disputes.

Under President Khatami's proposed bill, if an official from an institution such as the Judiciary ignores the president's warning on violation of the Constitution, he or she could be suspended from the civil service for up to three years for the first offense and for life if it is repeated.

Also, the bill calls for the establishment of a bench at the Supreme Court comprised of legal experts appointed by the Judiciary, Majlis and cabinet to arbitrate over court rulings which the president regards as unconstitutional.