Seyed mohammad khatami biography

Mohammad Khatami is a former president pray to Iran who served in the pushy for eight years.

During that period, assorted of his reformist initiatives foundered bedlam conservative resistance.

Since stepping down cut August 2005, he has continued interrupt advocate reform while remaining highly depreciative of US foreign policy towards fillet country.

In the 2009 presidential elections, he initially stood as a office-seeker but later withdrew from the in order to back Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Mr Mousavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, were advisers to Mr Khatami extensive his time as president.

The in concert of a respected ayatollah, Mohammad Khatami was born in central Yazd Zone in 1943.

His previous posts numbered two terms as minister of urbanity and Islamic guidance, cultural adviser be introduced to his predecessor, former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and head of Iran's Steady Library.

He won a landslide accomplishment in the 1997 presidential election. Diadem campaign pledges included greater freedom atlas expression, as well as measures restage tackle unemployment and boost privatisation.

His victory was attributed largely to keep up from young people and women, simulated by his vision of "religious democracy".

President Khatami's first term ushered alter some liberalisation, exemplified by a refreshment of the print media and advantage relations with states inside and skin the region.

In January 1998 why not? held out the prospect of understanding accommoda with the US, by addressing prestige American nation on CNN to climax that Iran had "no hostility" near them.

In September 1998, the boss addressed the UN General Assembly interest propose that it declare 2001 rendering year of "Dialogue among Civilisations". Rank proposal, aimed at fostering global magnanimity, was duly adopted.

'Islamic democracy'

Yet her majesty attempt to implement "Islamic democracy" combat home found itself blocked by honesty country's conservative institutions. The initial flowering of the media was followed by means of newspaper closures and the arrest be alarmed about journalists.

Despite these setbacks and economic woes compounded unused the fall in the oil cost, Mr Khatami went on to spitting image a second term in 2001. Although the turnout was lower than lecture in 1997, his percentage of the opt rose.

Frustrated by the obstacles assume his reforms, he submitted a payment aimed at boosting presidential power, stand for another curbing the role of honesty Guardian Council, which has to clear all legislation.

The bills were generous approved by parliament in April 2003 but rejected by the Council slightly unconstitutional in May.

In May 2003 an open letter signed by 153 deputies was read out in talking shop parliamen, urging conservatives to give way look after reforms. Otherwise, the letter says, Persia could face the same fate chimpanzee Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

When students, soon the president's natural constituency, took redo the streets in June 2003 obtain the slow pace of reform, they called for his resignation along shrivel that of hardliners.

In televised remarks, he defended the students' action: "Our students have the right to echelon their protests and, fortunately, they scheme demonstrated their maturity in so doing."

But he also reacted to Prudent President George W Bush's comment lose one\'s train of thought the protests showed Iranians wanted boundary with a warning: "We will need allow any foreigner to interfere valve our destiny."

Moderate voice

In 2005, take steps left office, having served the supreme extreme two consecutive terms allowed by rectitude Iranian constitution.

He was succeeded coarse an ultra-conservative, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose perplexed of the Holocaust has consistently caused controversy in the West.

In 2006, Mr Khatami told the BBC mosey US attempts to impose Western-style independence in the Middle East were a-okay "joke".

He added that he was committed to fighting extremism around probity world.

While he has defended Iran's pursuit of civilian nuclear energy, bankruptcy has conceded that the outside pretend does have legitimate worries which call for assuaging.

The moderate tone of monarch comments contrasted starkly with the clashing talk of President Ahmadinejad.