Iranian reformist candidate withdraws

Iranian reformist former Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref has withdrawn from June 14 presidential election. In a statement he released adressing the public, Aref said, \"In consideration of Mr. Khatami\'s explicit opinion, and the experiences of two past presidential elections, I declare my withdrawal from the election campaign.\" Aref also requested the public to go to polls, expressing that voting is both a duty and right for citizens. On Monday, Aref had participated in election program in Tehran and declared that he would withdraw in case of Khatami\'s order for the reformist votes to be transferred to moderate cleric Hassan Rohani, who is still in the running for the presidency. Previously conservative Gholam Ali Haddad Adel withdrew from presidency to not let conservative votes be divided.