President Mohammad Khatami in his Wednesday news conference had announced that he would present the Majles two bills aimed at reforming the electoral laws in the one hand and to enhance the presidential power on the other.

Abtahi presented the bill to the Majles at the end of the Assembly's open session and emphasized that the powers the President seeks "are not, in any way, outside the confines of the constitution, religious tenets or the people's demands".

Mr. Abtahi said the bill to enhance the presidential authority, "which is explicitly set out in the Constitution and aimed to fulfil the President’s constitutional obligations to the people" will be presented to the Majles in the next month.

In his controversial press conference, the embattled Khatami said in order to fulfil the reforms he has promised to the people, he wants to be empowered with the rights and powers the Constitution grants the president of the Islamic Republic.

Analysts said though the Constitution gives the President enough powers, yet the leader of the regime remains the highest authority.

Meanwhile, Majles Speaker Hojjatoleslam Mehdi Karroobi announced here on Sunday that President Khatami is merely seeking the enforcement of Constitution when the issue of presidential authority is brought up.

Speaking to reporters, Karroobi said that that the issue of presidential authority should certainly be discussed within the framework of the Constitution.

"President Khatami's speech on Wednesday (August 28) press conference has raised some questions", the Speaker said, without explaining.