Iran's Khatami justifies years in office

[democratic]

-He wields fairly little support in Iran polls show approval at about 22%, with his brother's Participation Front now calling for full Secular government and his ideas of Islamic Democracy barely surpassing the current hard-line establishment - Khatami is a lame-duck failure.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3681153.stm

Khatami justifies years in office

In a rambling, often poetic 47-page letter addressed to the Iran's youth, President Mohammad Khatami has insisted the tide of reform cannot be reversed.

The president admitted there was a long way to go, but cited hardliners adopting liberal slogans during recent elections as proof change is underway.

Mr Khatami insisted Islam and freedoms could co-exist, but blamed a combination of stubborn resistance from hardliners and impatience for the slow pace of reform.

Mr Khatami was swept to power in 1997 and 2001 by mainly young voters eager for change but has faced dogged resistance from hardliners

It is unlikely that such a general statement will satisfy his disillusioned supporters who have been expecting a more robust attack on the conservative establishment, Sadeq Saba says.