World

Vote Boosts Iran Reformers

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

June 8, 2001 / 12:14 PM EDT / CBS

Reformist commentators in Iran urged President Mohammad Khatami Monday to use his huge mandate to push for swifter reforms in his second term but conservative newspapers continued to voice defiance.

"The president and the next government should make a critique of the past four years and move fearlessly to implement political, economic and social reforms with the support of the people," the pro-reform daily Norouz said.

"It is time for those who have effectively stood in the people's way by opposing reforms to…engage in criticism instead of revenge," the daily said, referring to hard-liners who largely blocked Khatami's reforms in his first term.

Khatami, promising to press ahead with efforts to reform the Islamic Republic, was re-elected with 77 percent of the vote Friday. The leading conservative candidate came a distant second with 15.6 percent.

The reformist-dominated parliament re-elected pro-Khatami cleric Mehdi Karroubi as speaker Monday and Mohammad Reza Khatami, the president's brother and head of the main reformist group, as deputy speaker.

During Khatami's first term courts led by hard-liners cracked down on his reform program by closing some 40 pro-reform newspapers, jailing several of Khatami's allies and arresting dozens of liberal Islamist dissidents.

The conservative daily Qods played down the hard-liners' defeat, stressing that voters had primarily expressed confidence in the Islamic system by going to the polls.

"The popular turnout in the election was in fact a new sign of loyalty to the Islamic Republic and its constitution. Enemies of the revolution and their local lackeys should have realized now that their analysis was unfounded," Qods said, referring to calls by exiled groups for a boycott of the polls.

The conservative daily Resalat warned that Khatami might face more strong opposition from hard-liners, who still hold key levers of power, if he persisted in pushing for reforms without the approval of opponents.

"We expect the government to refrain from past factional attitudes in naming and dismissing officials while carrying out its policies," a Resalat editorial said.

The reformist daily Hayat-e No noted that one-third of an electorate of 42 million voters had stayed away and suggested conservatives might be responsible for voter apathy.

"Were those who did not vote people who had become disenchanted because of the constant opposition of conservatives to reforms during the past four years?" it asked.

The Foreign Ministry said Khatami would continue his efforts to ease regional tensions and open Iran to the world.

"The government's policies are based on the same principles as in the past four years but will have greater speed thanks to popular support," spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters.

Asefi reiterated that any improvement in ties with the United States would require the removal of U.S. sanctions.

Asefi declined to comment on reports that Washington was seeking two-year extension of sanctions banning investment in Iran's oil industry instead of the planned five-year renewal.

Celebrations of Khatami's victory have been subdued because of a show of force by the police after results were announced Saturday night.

"(People) should realize that they still have a heavy price to pay for a smile," Norouz said.

Scuffles broke out between celebrating Khatami supporters and police in Tehran and dozens were arrested in other cities.