Radio Tehran reported on Monday that a deal had been reached between Afghan transitional president Hamid Karzai and his biggest rival in the race for the presidency, Yunus Qanuni. According to the alleged deal, Qanuni would back out of the presidential race in return for top government positions for himself and his Tajik allies, Defense Minister Muhammad Fahim and Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. While rumors of the deal abound in Kabul, both Qanuni and Karzai were quick to deny the accuracy of the report. Qanuni said on Monday that what he had been offered by Karzai was not satisfactory - but that he was still open to negotiations.