Khatami Meets with faculty members of Iran University of Science & Technology

Here is what he said:

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, former president, in a meeting with a group of faculty members of Iran University of Science & Technology while strongly criticising the continuation of the militarised environment and the security measures enforced on the society said that one of the problems of our society is the lack of understanding and not taking advantage of the role of academia in our society. He added: “At the current situation, unfortunately the [academic] environment is getting more restricted, and regretfully the losses that the country will suffer because of these limitations are unrecoverable.”

The former reformist president by emphasising on the necessity of independence of the universities said: “In our administration (reformist) the concern of the government was for the universities to be independent and respected and that we try so that the “outside forces” won’t get the authorisation to intervene and enforce their views by any means.”

In part of his speech he said: “An intellectual is someone who recognises the expectations of his/her time and as I have said it in many occasions our time is the time that no one accepts tyranny and dictatorship and rejects it in all forms. One of the reasons for that is the fact that today the dictators of our time are claiming to be from the people; these are the problems of our time and are not related to east or west and today criticising [government] and freedom of expression have been accepted as rights.”

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami by pointing out the recent events of the country said: “The main factors in weakening the system are people’s dissatisfaction and using violence [by the government] in any form.Violence from any side, especially from the government is harmful for the society, religion and establishment. Using the violence by the government will cause radicalism and distrust, and if there is increasing dissatisfaction and distrust in a society, Islam and an establishment that carries Islamic title will get the first blow. If God forbids, the plans and actions are such that imply this to the society that violence, intimidation and threats are recognised means of the establishment and the enemies take advantage of this fact as well, more than anything, it would be the establishment that harms from this.”

He added: “Today the question is whether the satisfaction of the society especially of the intellectuals has been increased particularly during the events after the election? If not, one should find out what the problem is and those who created this situation and caused the increase of the dissatisfaction in the society are those who are weakening the establishment.”

He stressed: “This society belongs to us, but why is it that environment has been restricted so much? Why is it that the valuable figures who have a [different] view or an objection, not only are being eliminated [from political scene] but are suffering all kinds of insults and have been put under pressure?”

Khatami added: “While students, professors, scholars, artists, intellectuals who have a great background and even served the country during the Iran-Iraq war and those individuals who are saying that they recognise the constitution but have some criticisms as well are being insulted and falsely accused, unfortunately some [radical] slogans are being raised in the country that none of us approve, the establishment weakens and Iran suffers domestic and international damages.”

Khatami regarding the reasons that created the current crisis said: “These [problems] have been created because people are not being respected, objection and criticism are being considered as efforts to topple the establishment, the [national] media have been insulting and falsely accusing those who people are looking up to, and all of these is harming the system.”

Khatami explained his view in resolving these issues and said: “We should all return to the constitution and act according to the constitution and teachings of Islam, it should be accepted that it is not possible to run the society and the universities with military force and this kind of management is harmful for the interests of the country including its wealth, moral values and dignity.”

He also added: “The expectations was that the military and security measures would be eased, not that criticism and objection would be so costly for the society, this should be remembered that those who are criticising are not trying to topple the establishment but rather are care about the revolution and the society.”

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami reiterated: “But isn’t it that the rational criticism is costly today? Isn’t it that those who are criticising [the government] are being accused of all kinds of allegations that are true for the worst enemies of the country and the nation? If the answers to these questions are positive; these are the signatures of the diversion that should be modified and corrected to the right path.”

At the end of this meeting, khatami emphasised that: “The basis is the constitution; we want to have a glorious Iran. We want the people to consider the government as part of them and for the government to see people as part of itself. We want the government to welcome the criticisms against it as a blessing [to improve itself]...”

In this meeting five faculty members if Iran University of Science & Technology talked about their concerns regarding the current crisis in the society and the lousy, unscientific, irresponsible, non-realistic managements in various aspects of cultural, social, economic, industrial, agricultural, political, security, foreign diplomacy and relations, media and information, judicial sectors of the country.