Double blow for reform movement in Tehran
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President Mohammad Khatami formally withdrew two key reform bills yesterday, while a man reviled by reformers as a killer of press freedom was publicly honoured as the "best manager" in the Iranian judiciary - small signs of the waning strength of the reform movement.
President Mohammad Khatami formally withdrew two key reform bills yesterday, while a man reviled by reformers as a killer of press freedom was publicly honoured as the "best manager" in the Iranian judiciary - small signs of the waning strength of the reform movement.
The bills, which Mr Khatami said last month he would remove from further parliamentary consideration, had sought to bring democratic change to Iran's theocracy. Abandoning them was an acknowledgment of the failure of the pillars of Mr Khatami's presidency.
One of the bills was aimed at increasing presidential powers in order to stop constitutional violations by unelected hardliners. The other sought to bar the Guardian Council, the hard-line oversight body, from disqualifying parliamentary and presidential election candidates. Mr Khatami withdrew the bills in a letter addressed to Mahdi Karroubi, the parliamentary speaker. The letter was read in an open session of parliament yesterday and broadcast live on Tehran radio.
The Guardian Council rejected the parliament-approved bills in April and May 2003, saying they were unconstitutional and against Islam.
Meanwhile, Iran's unelected clerics honoured one of the biggest enemies of Mr Khatami's reform programme: Saeed Mortazavi, the Tehran prosecutor, who was behind the closure of about 100 pro-democracy publications.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments