BBC- President of Iran Khatami to resign...

No link the headline is running on their real time news wire.
BBC says more to come soon.

Is this a good sign for the Democracy movement in Iran? Almost sounds like a coup to me.

Iran was headed towards greater democracy and there was speculation of Khatami stepping down (or at least having free elections) in 2000. Then Bush made the moronic "Axis of Evil" statement and everything kind of stopped.

Correct me if I'm wrong--I was turned 17 that fall (2000) and wasn't too informed on current issues.

But I'm not to informed on the Iran situation. I hope someone can shed some light on what this means, since they're part of the evil triangle.

for Bush to make war with a secular democratic Iran.

Based on the article posted. Almost a perfect setup for the Bush warmongers.

it is the appearance that counts....It is a good political move.

(or a "moderate" in journalist speak) trying to work the system from within the system. He's in the uncomfortable Gorbachev/Abbas position of being a reformist traitor to the establishment and an establishment traitor to the reformers. His resignation would trigger a succession struggle between the hardliners and their version of Boris Yeltsin on a tank.

and that ultimately means that armed revolution is probably the next thing to be tried.
on edit: or it looks like he's testing the waters, will resign "if the people want him to", pity ploy to get people who still like him out in the streets asking him to stay or something.

He offered/teased political freedom to Iranians who hate the theocracy. But he couldn't get anything done, since the mullahs can overrule the president and the Parliament. In addition, neither the president nor the parliament has any power over the army or the police. The mullahs have direct control over the army, the national police and the censorship organization.

The result is not unlike Gorbachev's glasnost. Khatami can't come anywhere near the desires of the people, and the unrest on the streets is a result. I don't know whether Khatami's offer/threat is to increase his power, or is genuine. I think the mullahs have had enough, and may nullify the constitution soon, and take over the entire government.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami unexpectedly said he will resign if people want him to go, amid growing public dissatisfaction over his failure to meet promises of democratic reform, a newspaper reported Saturday.

It was the first time Mr. Khatami has publicly offered to resign.

Iran's formerly popular president has come under increasing pressure in recent months to stand firm against unelected hard-line clerics and fulfill election promises of freedoms and democratic change.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030712.wiran0712/BNStory/International/

http://www.geocities.com/darkerxdarker/

the ayatollahs will be in charge and it will give * more reason to invade another mideast country
never mind the nuclear power despot in asia.

I have to wonder whether * has him in mind if he gets the chance to install a puppet ruler.