Khatami Talks to Students

Khatami met with students from University of Tehran, Sharif University, Alame-Tabatabai University and Amir-Kabir University and here is what he said:

At the beginning of this meeting Khatami said: “I am very pleased to meet with you and I believe it would be better if others who have responsibilities in the system would listen to others [views] as well.”

He added: “If we want to manage the society, we should have wider and brother communication channels, not that the connection only exists through special channels; and authorities should not expect that only what they approve of be said because if they listen to all ideas maybe great reforms could be achieved.” By pointing out the fact that these kinds of meetings could solve many problems he added: “Regretfully having these kinds of meeting has limitations which I hope would be eased.”

Khatami by asking the question that: “What has originated the problems and why this [crisis] has happened?” said: “If there is a slogan in the society that majority of the society don’t approve that, we should not immediately say that the enemy and foreigners have been meddling. Although in an unhealthy environment enemies will take advantage as well but some actions are frankly reactions to the behaviours and policies which have been employed and if there were no such policies, for sure there would not be such reactions.”

Khatami continued: “The Islamic Republic that people wanted was a Republic that would fulfill people’s historic demands, freedom, Independence, prosperity, the ability to criticise the government and free elections were its characteristics...Seeking justice is in the depth of the conscious of all of us ”

Khatami be emphasising on the fact that “We should stay on our fundamentals and values” said: “But we don’t want any violence, we want the situation be such that people trust the system, and the government trusts the people, but unfortunately this issue has been damaged and this is our problem and it is in the hands of the rulers to change it. Our slogan during the election campaign was change, both social changes and change in the way the country is being managed.”

He reiterated: “The university environment cannot be restricted, university should question, criticise and be free, the interference of the forces from outside university is wrong.”

He added: “People’s doubts about the elections won’t be resolved by denial and repression ... If we want to stay in the scene then elections both with regards to policies and execution should be such that can be trusted and if it is not then our presence does not have any meaning. Assuming that I invite people to participate in [future] elections; who would go to the polls? If they [rulers] care and we also want people to participate, then the political situation and the way elections have been executed should be changed....We want the people’s authority in its true meaning which the revolution was supposed to bring us”

Khatami by emphasising on the fact that those who have done so much for the revolution are being introduced as “enemy” in a sociological war and security environment, stressed: “By guiding this peaceful and civilised protests in a right path many of issued will be reformed and I wish authorities themselves would ask Mir Hossein Mousavi to lead this movement in the right path not that this much restrictions have been put in place and this much insults are being said”