Iran's reformist ex-president back in spotlight

By Parisa Hafezi

YAZD, Iran (Reuters) - Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami has yet to announce whether he wants to relaunch reforms by competing in a 2009 presidential race.

But months ahead of the June vote, he was back in the spotlight and displaying his enduring popularity on a visit to the province of his birth, Yazd.

People in the province's desert capital greeted him with flowers and chants of: "Long live next president. We love you." and school children in blue uniforms sang for him as tears came into his eyes.

They called him "the wise child" of Iran's late founder of 1979 Islamic revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Khatami embraced supporters and listened to complaints about economic hardship the townspeople have faced since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took office in 2005.

Several prominent Western politicians, including former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi and former Irish president Mary Robinson joined Khatami to attend a ceremony called "Yazd, the birthplace of Dialogue," organized by Khatami's backers.

"You can rarely see such a warm welcome by people for a former president. It is astonishing," Prodi told Reuters, adding that the West preferred a more democratic Iran.

Another Western politician said the trip was reminiscent to presidential campaigning.

But Khatami, dressed in a light-gray clerical robe and black turban, insisted he had not made up his mind whether to run.

"There are many capable political figures ... Reformists will introduce the most capable candidate," he said.

SEEKING GUARANTEES

Leading reformist figures are trying to persuade Khatami to challenge Ahmadinejad, widely expected to seek a second term.

They believe a fierce power struggle between Khatami and Ahmadinejad, under the mantle of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would polarize the vote.

A close aide to Khatami said the former president would want guarantees from Khamenei on his constitutional powers if he is to stand.

Without Khamenei's full backing, Khatami had serious doubts as to what he could hope to achieve should he seek a comeback, added another ally.