TEHRAN, March 16 (RIA Novosti) - Mohammad Khatami, the Iranian reformist leader and former president of the Islamic Republic, has officially withdrawn from June's presidential elections, Iranian media reported on Monday.
On February 2, Khatami, who served as Iranian president from 1997 to 2005, officially announced his intention to run for president. Analysts suggested that he could present a serious challenge to incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the polls.
There has been no official explanation for Khatami's decision to drop out, although some analysts believe he plans to support another reformist candidate, Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Ahmadinejad has not yet officially announced his candidacy.
