Khatami’s Party May Boycott Vote

TEHRAN — President Mohammad Khatami’s political party has threatened to boycott Iran’s parliamentary elections unless bans on hundreds of aspiring liberal candidates are promptly reversed, newspapers and officials said Monday.

The hard-line Guardian Council -- an unelected body with sweeping powers -- last week announced that it had barred more than a third of the 8,200 hopefuls who wanted to run on Feb. 20.

Guardian Council officials said Monday that many of the candidates who were originally disqualified would eventually be allowed to run after their cases were reviewed.

It was unclear whether that would satisfy reformers, who called for free elections.