Mohammad-Reza Aref, the sole reformist candidate in the June 14 Iranian presidential vote, has withdrawn from the race after receiving advice from reformist former president Mohammad Khatami. "At dusk on Monday... I received a letter from Mohammad Khatami... he said it would not be wise for me to remain in the race," Aref wrote in his withdrawal statement on Tuesday. n recent days, calls have grown from within the reformist camp for Aref to quit in favour of the moderate candidate Hassan Rouhani. Aref 's withdrawal from the race is the second in two days. Ex-parliamentary speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel, seen as close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pulled out of the race on Monday without endorsing any of the four remaining conservatives standing for election.
