Khatami Defends Reforms’ Pace

In a sign of mounting frustration, students boldly demanded Saturday that Iran’s reformist president take the offensive against conservatives blocking his drive for greater freedoms.

“Show authority or resign!” some students shouted at President Mohammad Khatami during an address at Tehran University.

Khatami promised that he would remain faithful to his reforms but said his hands were tied in the face of powerful Islamic hard-liners.

“I may be criticized to have acted weakly and . . . not to have defended those jailed because of their pro-reform activities,” Khatami said.

“This may be right, but I have not abandoned my programs and have not failed to carry out my duties. One should also consider the president’s limited powers,” Khatami told the crowd of about 3,000 students.

Patience among Khatami’s core backers is wearing thin as hard-line clerics muzzle pro-reform newspapers and prosecute lawmakers and students.

Khatami repeated his warnings that the conservatives’ “violence and force” could touch off social upheaval.

Khatami’s popularity is built upon his calls for an “Islamic democracy” that would maintain religious values but permit Western-style political ideals, such as free expression.

Such changes could weaken the tight grip of the conservative theocrats headed by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Khatami’s support among the youth is significant, in part because nearly half the population was born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Many students still expressed support for Khatami but demanded a stronger challenge to the hard-liners.

“If you take one step back, your opponents will take two steps forward,” said a student leader, Vahid Qobadi.