18 March 2009

Reformist Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Monday night officially announced his withdrawal from the upcoming presidential election in June 2009.

In a statement issued by Khatami’s office, the former Iranian president said, despite his withdrawal, he would continue his active presence in the scene to encourage people's huge turnout in the upcoming election.

"I announce my withdrawal from the 10th presidential election," Khatami said in a statement released after he held a late-evening meeting with his supporters and campaign officials. He also called for "free and fair elections."

Khatami was president of Iran from 1997-2005 and was succeeded by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Muslims Never Falter in Spotting their Enemies

Meanwhile, Tehran’s Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei said Sunday that Muslims would never falter in identifying the main causes of any disagreement among themselves, IRNA reported.

The Supreme Leader made the remark in an address to heads of the three branches of government, chief of the Expediency Council, guests participating in the 22nd International Conference on Islamic Unity and ambassadors of the Islamic states in Iran as well as a large crowd of people from different walks of life on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Muslim Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the sixth Shiite Imam, Jaafar Sadeq (AS).

Referring to the ceaseless efforts of the enemies of the Islamic Ummah to sow discord among Muslims, Ayatollah Khamenei said Muslims were vigilant enough to recognize the fact that any remark targeting the Islamic unity was the voice of the hegemonic powers.

Describing the birth of the Grand Prophet of Islam as a very critical and landmark event in the history of the mankind, the Supreme Leader said at present juncture, the true responsibility of the followers of Muslim Prophet, especially those who are categorized as politicians, scientists, intellectuals and influential figures, was to try to materialize the Islamic unity and fight the elements who are trying to sow discord among Muslims.

The Supreme Leader further urged Muslim Ummah to go beyond rhetorics and take practical measures to consolidate and safeguard unity among themselves as a sign of gratitude for the birth of Muslim prophet which has benefited the whole mankind.

Saying that Muslims should stay vigilant and alert in the face of consecutive plots of enemies and expansionist powers, his eminence also expressed regret that, in very rare and odd occasions, Muslims or some Muslim states get trapped and act as tools in the hands of Muslims’ enemies in advancing their objective of sowing discord among Muslims.

Pointing to the glorious victory of Muslim Ummah during 33 days of resistance against the Zionist army in Lebanon and then for 22 days in Gaza, Ayatollah Khamenei said the two cases highlighted the fact that the enemies, in a bid to reduce the impact of such victories, tried to focus on differences between Shiite and Sunni Muslims and Arab and non-Arab nations.

Stressing that the issue of Palestine was a topic related to the whole Muslim world and not to a certain nation or nationality, the Supreme Leader said it is the duty of the leaders of Muslim states at the first place to confront such plots.

Ayatollah Khamenei further commemorated the memory of the late Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran the late Imam Khomeini and said the deceased Imam was the personality who raised the flag of unity among Muslims and invited all Muslims worldwide to promote unity and solidarity among themselves.

During the reception meeting, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, too, addressed the participants in a short speech, saying that true resistance, a fighter’s spirit, unity and solidarity were the key to the victory of Muslims over their enemies.