Region | Iran
Khatami 'has insulted Khomeini'
Iranian politicians have become embroiled in a dispute over the foundations of the Islamic Republic, centring on what Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the republic's founder, meant 30 years ago when he talked of "exporting the revolution".
- By Anna Fifield and Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Financial Times
- Published: 00:43 May 9, 2008
- Khatami's remarks comes at a time as the new parliament prepares to take office and the political jockeying ahead of next year's presidential election begins.
- Image Credit: Reuters
Tehran: Iranian politicians have become embroiled in a dispute over the foundations of the Islamic Republic, centring on what Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the republic's founder, meant 30 years ago when he talked of "exporting the revolution".
The debate was sparked when Mohammad Khatami, a former president, said Iran was never meant to "take up arms" to spread its ideals. His suggestion comes amid allegations that Tehran is supporting Shia militias in Iraq and is encouraging Hezbollah in Lebanon, as part of a strategy to destabilise the Middle East.
"What did Imam Khomeini mean by exporting the revolution?" the reformist Khatami, who retains significant support in Iran, especially among young people, asked in a speech to students.
"Did he mean that we take up arms, that we blow up places in other nations and we create groups to carry out sabotage in other countries? The imam was vehemently against this and was confronting it."
His comments sparked a furious reaction among conservatives, who accused Khatami of making unpatriotic comments.
"The only consequence has been to tarnish the shining reputation of the Islamic republic system and confirm the baseless accusations of the arrogant powers," the conservative Kayhan newspaper said, using a common epithet for the United States.
The Etemad-e Melli newspaper yesterday reported that a group of 77 conservative lawmakers planned to complain to the intelligence ministry about the comments, saying Khatami had insulted Khomeini.
But Mohammad Hassan Abutorabi Fard, deputy parliamentary speaker, later told reporters the MPs had withdrawn their complaint.
Khatami yesterday said his opponents had used his remarks for "character assassination" and rejected suggestions he was re-interpreting Khomeini's ideas.
"The Islamic republic does not need to have physical interference in international scenes and has never had such a policy," Khatami said on Thursday, according to a statement.
"The enemy [the United States] wants to cover up its own problems, or to seek a pretext to put us under pressure by claiming that Iran interferes. Where does Iran interfere? Is it us who occupied Iraq?"
The debate comes at a sensitive time as the new parliament prepares to take office and the political jockeying ahead of next year's presidential election begins.
Many Iranians fondly remember the tenure of Khatami, who was president between 1997 and 2005, as a time of greater freedom. Khatami has not ruled out running again.
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