Khatami In?

A former aide is predicting that Muhammad Khatami will run for President of Iran:

"Now after another prominent moderate, former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi, appears to have backed out, Khatami will almost certainly run, says former aide Mohammed Ali Abtahi.

"'My prediction is that within a few days President Khatami will announce his candidacy,' Abtahi said in a phone interview. 'Khatami cannot afford not to run. He has to run now.'

"Khatami, 65, has repeatedly been quoted as saying that either he or Mousavi would run as a candidate for the reformists, as those within Iran's establishment who hope to broaden democracy and moderate the country's policies call themselves. News reports over the last few days have indicated that Mousavi might not run."

Khatami has previously said that he would only run if given assurances that he could carry out his agenda. If such assurances have been given, I'd love to hear about it.