Tehran: Iran's former president Mohammad Khatami officially announced on Tuesday his withdrawal from the June presidential race to avoid splitting the votes of the reformist front.
But analysts say Khatami's withdrawal will boost hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's chances of re-election.
Khatami, Iran's most liberal president since the Islamic revolution in 1979, was considered the main pro-reform challenger to Ahmadinejad who succeeded him in 2005.
Khatami said he would back moderate candidate Mirhossein Mousavi.
"I announce my withdrawal from candidacy...to preserve unity among the reformist front and to avoid a split of votes," Khatami said in a statement published on Tuesday, confirming comments to media by his allies on Monday.
The outcome of the June election could influence Iran's approach in its standoff with the West over its nuclear programme, even though Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on such issues.
Khamenei has publicly praised Ahmadinejad and analysts say the fate of the presidential election could depend on whether Ahmadinejad retains the support of Khamenei, whose words could influence millions of loyalists.
Khatami, who served from 1997 to 2005, oversaw a thaw in Iran's ties with the West. Those relations have since sharply worsened under Ahmadinejad, who is expected to seek a second four-year term in the June 12 vote.
