Iran’s former president Mohammad Khatami gives ex-premier Mir-Hussein Mousavi a ten-day ultimatum to decide on his bid for presidency.

Khatami, who is favored among the Reformists, told Mousavi that he had to make up his mind by February 10, saying that time was running out for the party to announce its main candidate, IRNA quoted sources close to Mousavi as saying on Sunday.
The former president argued that Mousavi’s request for a month’s time would give the rival parties a head start.
Reformists have been trying to persuade Khatami into running for president in the June elections, hoping to defeat the incumbent Principlist president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by playing their strongest card.
Khatami won a landslide victory in the 1997 presidential elections by capturing almost 70% of the ballot. After serving two terms as president, the Reformist was succeeded by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Under Iran’s constitution a president cannot run for a third consecutive term.
Although Khatami has not ruled out the possibility of another presidential bid, he has said that he would rather see Mousavi running for the post.
Mousavi is well-known for his handling of the country’s affairs during the 1980-1988 Iraqi imposed war on Iran. He served as prime minister from 1981 to 1988 under the then-president Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
However, many Principlists share the idea that Mousavi’s possible run for presidency is not in the best interest of the country.
Principlist lawmaker Moussa Qorbani had earlier discussed the former premier’s possible bid saying that “it is not in the interest of Islam, nor is it in the interest of Muslims; it is not in anybody’s interest at all that a Reformist runs for president.”
He further referred to Khatami’s term in office as ‘unsuccessful’ and ‘a dark chapter in Iran’s history’, saying the Reformists tend to nationalize the economy while the interest of the country lies in privatized economy.
“Although I have not announced my candidacy so far, some have taken action against me and they are continuing do so right now,” Khatami said according to informed sources.
Khatami says if he decides to run, the Reformist camp should introduce three reserve candidates to replace him, in the event that he would withdraw from the race midway through the campaign.
According to Khatami, Mousavi is a potential Reformist reserve candidate, along with former head of the Budget and Planning Organization, Mohammad Ali Najafi, and former First Vice-President Mohammad-Reza Aref.
Sources say that Khatami will officially register his own candidacy a week after February 10, should Mousavi fail to meet the deadline.
(Source: Press TV)