Khatami promises Iranian reform

Khatami: 'It's wrong to deny popular demands'

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has vowed not to abandon political reforms despite tremendous opposition from Islamic hard-liners.

In a rare address to the Iranian parliament, Khatami touched on a range of issues but did not confirm whether he would stand for re-election in early June.

The reformist leader told parliament that defending reforms is a revolutionary, historical and national responsibility.

"No pressure can make me give up this path. I cannot give up my commitment to God and the noble people. We have no choice but to succeed in establishing Islamic democracy," he said.

AUDIO Journalist Shirzad Bozorgmehr reports: Questions left unanswered 320K/29 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     MESSAGE BOARD Share your thoughts on reforms in Iran

A CNN journalist in Tehran said that although Khatami did not specifically announce plans to fight next June's presidential election the tone of his speech indicated he would be standing.

Khatami said his presidency would be judged on its achievements but some still questioned whether his 1997 landslide victory was a passing phase in Iranian politics.

Khatami is seen by many in the West as the most reform-minded Iranian leader in many years.

He took office in May 1997 after more than 20 million voters defied the country's conservative and hard-line leadership to vote for the former culture minister.

Ever since his victory, he has been opposed at every turn by Islamic hard-liners.

A power struggle between the two factions intensified after the February 2000 parliamentary elections, in which the hard-liners lost control of parliament for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Since then conservatives have used the judiciary to close down nearly every pro-democracy newspaper and some of the president's closest allies have been jailed.

Mostafa Tajzadeh, deputy interior minister and the country's election chief, was sentenced last week to a year in prison on charges of vote rigging in last year's general elections.

Khatami said he had opted for reforms because it was the will of the nation rather than his personal choice.

"There are those who accept no change. It's wrong to deny popular demands and facts instead of accepting them," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Democracy Network of Iran
Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran

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