Tehran - Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami said Wednesday that political changes were needed to avoid further harm to Iran's international image, the ISNA news agency reported.

"The political status quo is not suitable and should be changed and amended; otherwise, Iran's international image would further be harmed and tarnished," said Khatami in his first remarks since his official nomination Sunday to run against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 presidential election.

Tehran - Leading reformists in Iran have urged former president Mohammad Khatami to run against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the presidential elections in June next year.

"We want Khatami to disregard his doubts, think positively and enter the political scene," former government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh told the Iranian ISNA news agency.

Other leading reformists, such as former vice-presidents Mohammad-Ali Abtahi and Majid Ansari as well as ex-interior minister Abdol-Vahed Mussavi-Lari, have urged Khatami to take the challenge.