If he (khatami) stands, the conservatives may unite reluctantly around Mr Ahmadinejad. Privileged with incumbency and a populism that still strikes a chord with poorer Iranians, he remains their best chance. But Mr Khatami’s enduring popularity rattles his foes. The results of an internal government poll in big and medium-sized cities suggest that he could win twice as many votes in these places as Mr Ahmadinejad.
