Editorial:
Iran's Impulse for Change
The New York Times
March 4, 1999
The power of democracy is altering Iran. Unofficial results from municipal
elections show that Iranians overwhelmingly supported moderate politicians
associated with President Mohammad Khatami. The voting mirrored the presidential
election that swept Mr. Khatami to power two years ago. Though conservative
clerics remain the paramount rulers of Iran, Iranians are clearly impatient
to lift religious repression and transform their country.
Iran's Constitution, adopted after Ayatollah Khomeini's 1979 Islamic
revolution, provides for local elections, but none were held for two decades.
Mr. Khatami called last Friday's vote hoping to create a more decentralized
civil society that could support his agenda of political and social change.
His gamble apparently paid off. The winners included liberal clerics like
Abdollah Nouri, a Khatami ally who was forced out of the national Cabinet
last year by clerical conservatives and who has now been elected to the
Teheran city council. The high turnout that carried many moderate candidates
to victory may now embolden Mr. Khatami to take further conciliatory steps
toward America.
Washington would benefit greatly from the development of a more moderate
and internationally responsible Iran, and should do what it can to encourage
change. While continuing to support exchanges by sports teams and cultural
groups, the Clinton Administration should begin to ease trade restrictions
against Iran in ways that would have the most impact on ordinary Iranians.
The White House rightly insists that normal relations cannot be completely
restored until Iran stops trying to build nuclear and other unconventional
weapons, severs its links with terrorism and accepts peacemaking efforts
between Israeli and Arab leaders. Iran has distanced itself from terror
and now concedes the Palestinians' right to make peace with Israel. If
further steps can be taken, the Mideast will be a safer place and Iran
may resume its traditional role as a regional counterweight to Iraq.
Specifically, the White House should approve a request by an American
trading company, pending since last year, to sell three million tons of
grain and 400,000 tons of sugar requested by the Iranian Government. President
Clinton also ought to ease restrictions on American imports of Iranian
carpets, leaving in place only measures to discourage the exploitation
of child labor. Neither step requires Congressional action. American food
sales would make it easier for the Khatami Government to subsidize the
diet of families hurt by collapsed world oil prices. Permitting carpet
imports would allow the creation of many new Iranian jobs. Iran's people
have once again voted for change. America should welcome their democratic
choice and extend new opportunities for friendship.
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