Will President Obama help the Khomeinist re gime regain some of the legitimacy it lost in last month's rigged presidential election?
Former President Muhammad Khatami raised that question Sunday while meeting with families of some of the 5,000 activists arrested during anti-regime protests.
Khatami, a mid-ranking mullah, was echoing remarks by another former president, Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has indicated he won't recognize President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election to a second four-year term.
In his speech, Khatami suggested holding a referendum to establish the legitimacy of the regime. He didn't specify the question to be put to the vote but insisted that an "outside authority," such as the United Nations, supervise it.
Remarks by both Rafsanjani and Khatami show that the opposition is determined to not endorse a second Ahmadinejad administration. Even if such an administration seemed a fait accompli, much of the establishment, perhaps even a majority, would continue to withhold its allegiance.
The two former presidents have indicated they won't attend Ahmadinejad's inauguration, which has been postponed to Sept. 2 in hope of finding a compromise to end the boycott.
To cover up his isolation at home, Ahmadinejad hopes to tempt the West with promises of negotiations.
Last week, Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said the government was "putting finishing touches to a package of initiatives" for submission to the 5+1 Group (which consists of the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany) as soon as Ahmadinejad is sworn in for a second term.
Mottaki's statement came hours after French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner disclosed that the European Union might withhold recognition of a second Ahmadinejad presidency until an "internal compromise" occurs in Tehran.
Kouchner, however, had to tone down his remarks when the Obama administration reiterated its determination to "engage Iran" regardless of who emerges on top in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran's state-run media have orders to highlight even the slightest sign of support from abroad.
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