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Ireland President Mary Robinson, former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi (L to R) attend the "Religion in the Modern World" conference in Tehran October 13, 2008.REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi
TEHRAN-Iran's moderate former president Mohammad Khatami hosted several former Western leaders on Monday, a move analysts saw as a bid to boost his standing ahead of the country's presidential election in 2009.Among the guests at a conference called "Religion in the Modern World" were former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan, former Italian premier Romano Prodi and former presidents Mary Robinson of Ireland and Jorge Sampaio of Portugal.Analysts said the level of participants underlined Khatami's continued popularity in the West, which has increasingly isolated Iran over its disputed nuclear program."No such internationally recognized ranking figures have visited Iran since (President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad was elected," said political analyst Saeed Leylaz."The guest list shows Khatami is more popular than Ahmadinejad among Western politicians."Khatami, who won landslide presidential votes in 1997 and 2001, has not said whether he will challenge Ahmadinejad, who is widely expected to seek a second four-year term. A close aide to Khatami said he would announce his candidacy in February.Many politicians and analysts see Khatami as the only potential challenger strong enough to "save the country from economic and political threats.""If Ahmadinejad wins the election Iran will become a negative lesson for the region whereas if Khatami is elected, Iran will become a regional model," leading pro-reform politician Mostafa Tajzadeh told reporters at the sideline of the conference.
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