TEHERAN: Iran plans to propose President Mohammad Khatami as a candidate for secretary general of the United Nations to succeed Kofi Annan, the news agency IRNA reported on Friday.

Former Iranian vice-president Hassan Ghaffuri-Fard told IRNA the proposal was raised during a political forum in China and welcomed by most of the Asian officials at the meeting.

Khatami, whose second presidential term will end next summer, and who is constitutionally barred from a third term, has not yet reacted to the nomination plans. dpa