Are the reformists using rope-a-dope tactics on hardliners during presidential campaign?
Kamal Nazer Yasin: 2/25/09 As Iran’s presidential election campaign gears up, the intentions of some of the highest-profile contenders are growing more mysterious. This is especially true for Mohamad Khatami, the chief standard bearer of reform. When Khatami, who served as president from 1997-2005, announced in early February that he would mount another run for the presidency, he insisted that he had a chance at winning. He may still be saying that, but few political observers believe he stands a chance on his own. Indeed, some say that by becoming a candidate at this time, Khatami risks inflicting irreparable damage to his own political reputation, and, more broadly, to the reformist cause. So why is he in the race? With just about three-and-a-half months to go until the presidential vote, the question of Khatami’s intent is the subject of heated speculation in Tehran. Some experts believe that, using a track & field analogy for a long-distance race, Khatami is acting like a rabbit –
