Word: reformists
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...When Moussavi declared his own intention to run last week, some longtime reformist commentators expressed skepticism about his intentions. But Khatami had long made clear that he would run only as the consensus candidate of the anti-Ahmadinejad forces, and even then, reluctantly. He appears to have taken Moussavi's entry into the race as a cue to bow out and declare his support for the former Prime Minister. (See pictures of the legacy of Iran's revolution...
...picture is further complicated by a third reformist candidate, former parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi, who may not agree to step aside. In the 2005 election, similar attempts to settle on a single candidate to run against Ahmadinejad faltered, in part because Karroubi insisted on staying in that race...
...conservatives certainly see Moussavi as a more formidable enemy than Khatami. The political editor of the conservative daily Resalat, Amir Mohebbian, said in an interview with the Ghalam website, "If Moussavi enters as the solitary candidate of the reformists, he has high chances of winning in the elections, and if people like Khatami support him as well, he will have the support of young voters too." In the same interview, Mohebbian added, "What is clear is that the fundamentalists prefer him over other reformist candidates," and that Moussavi had more opponents among what Mohebbian called "extremists" in the reform movement...
...Tehran Khatami Makes a Comeback Former two-term Iranian President Mohammed Khatami announced that he plans to run again, in upcoming elections scheduled for June. The liberal leader and respected cleric was criticized for his inability to follow through on his reformist agenda while in office. Khatami said he considers running against the incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a "duty," claiming that drastic political changes are needed to prevent further harm to Iran's economy and international image...
...Closer to the square, a lone young man stood holding a poster praising the revolution but festooned with a picture of reformist former President Mohammed Khatami, who is once again running for President in the June elections. The Khatami supporter, 23-year-old Ali Reza, said the economy is bad but that as a young university student, he cares more about his freedom of speech. "I shouldn't be afraid to express my views in university," he said, his hand holding the poster shaking profusely. Before long, he was reminded by a friendly Revolutionary Guard officer that the square...