Lobbying for Khatami’s Return
The E’temad Melli daily’s headline summed up one of the most interesting campaigns in the Islamic Republic: “coming, not coming.” The policy whose chief architect and continuous supporter is Hashemi Rafsanjani is now being seized by reformists as Mohammad Khatami’s program.
In summer of 2005, when Ahmadinejad won the Iranian presidential elections, a man left the presidential palace who had gotten there with an unprecedented margin eight years before.
In those days, Khatami responded to interviewers who asked him about his future by saying that eight years of presidency is enough for him, and that he will never again accept an official government post. He has reiterated several times since then that he will never return to “power.”
However, sensing “dangerous” and “critical” times, the reformists have mustered all their efforts to convince Mohammad Khatami to take back his word and return to the Majlis or the presidential palace.
A spokesperson for the E’temad Melli party said, “If Mohammad Khatami enters the race in the eight Majlis elections, the E’temad Melli party will definitely place his name at the top of its list.”
A similar point of view was expressed by the Islamic Iran Participation Front, the largest reformist party in the country. Azar Mansouri, the party’s political deputy, was quoted in Norouz Website as having said, “We hope that if Mr. Khatami does not run for the Majlis elections, he would accept to run in the upcoming presidential elections and participate in them. We hope that we will be able to convince Mr. Khatami to run in the next presidential elections because we believe that he can be more effective in rescuing Iran out of the current critical and dangerous situation.”
Khatami’s long time friend and former advisor, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, told ISNA, “The reports of Seyyed Mohammad Khatami’s candidacy reflect a public desire and want, and given the current situation, a stronger Majlis can only strengthen the country.”
The recent buzz surrounding Khatami’s candidacy does not end with reformists lobbying. An official from the Baran Foundation, an organization Khatami founded when he stepped down from presidency, announced on Saturday that Khatami’s provincial trips will begin soon.
Prior to the 1997 presidential elections, Khatami, who was an underdog, traveled to various parts of Iran on a simply-decorated bus and spoke to the common people. Many experts believe that Khatami’s trips played a significant role in his victory.