Mohammad Khatami
Internet survey
January 5, 2000
The Iranian
The fourth highest number of votes (10%) in The Iranian survey went
to President Mohammad Khatami. His supporters say he has given Iran a human
face with his rational and democratic policies. See comments from voters
below.
Back to the Iranian of the century main
index.
To top
Internal revolution
* The first Iranian politician to realize that our next revolution needs
to be an internal one: one in which we change the way we relate to each
other and ourselves. Behzad Sadeghi
To top
Pragmatic
* He is the only pragmatic element in the Iranian political system that
may have a chance to transform the system into a form of acceptable republic,
from inside. Fereydoun Taslimi
To top
Trying
* Because he is the only one who is trying to make I ran more civilized.
Fazezeh Abedi-Tari
To top
Conservative
* He is the only one that has attacked the fundamental cause of the
problems we are facing in Iran in a constructive way, namely the culture.
Mohammad Soleimani
To top
Extraordinary
* For his continuous and everlasting efforts on behalf of the Iranian
people, for his extraordinarily delicate attitude and patience in hard
times and crises, and for all he has done -- given that he was only human;
though a distinguished one, shall I say. Ramin
Golestanian
To top
Smartest
* He is the smartest living president in the world. Mehdi
Farid
To top
New vs. old
* My choice for Iranian of the century is President Khatami because
after all he has attempted to break into new ties and get rid of the old
repressed ways of the Iranian system in the government and its society.
Neda Sefardi
To top
Personal
* My vote goes for President Khatami. This guy has addressed me personally
on Iranian National TV and invited me to my father's country. Cyrus Keshmiri
To top
Rational
* Because for the first time he is laying the ground work for a gradual
but rational and sustainable democracy based on peaceful means rather than
overnight changes and harsh methods. Asghar
Dashti
To top
Making a difference
* For trying to make a difference in our lives and the lives of the
future kids of Iran. Siavash. S.
To top
Fighting morons
* Beacuse he has to fight with many morons in inside the country and
improve things regardless of what stupid people think. Popak
Roshan
To top
Media
* He has brought big changes in the media and the way of thinking in
Iran for the first time in our history. Poya
Hashemi
To top
Simple reasons
* My choice is Mr. Khatami for simple facts, but ones that brought hope
to our nation in despair. For simple reasons like his smile which won the
heart of millions of Iranians, his compassionate speeches, his calm and
peaceful demeanor and for wearing his wedding ring at all times. For more
serious reasons, I choose Mr. Khatami because of his liberal reform program.
His program opened new doors for Iran, politically, economically and socially.
His program uplifted people's spirit and their will to live. I praise him
for not giving in nor being intimidated by the hard-liners. Whether he
will win this fight or not, he will be remembered for many years to come.
Saghi Zarinkalk
To top
Islam into life
* I would like to note that the Iranian who made the greatest change
was, and still is Mohammed Khatami, the current president, and this is
because he managed, or is trying, to unite all currents in Iran, and to
unite the way of Islam and putting it into practice in everyday life. Even
those who oppose him ideologically will agree that this way of life- putting
Islam into action in every single way in life- is a very great ideal. Noam Shahaf
To top
Democracy
* My favorite Iranian of the cetury is Mohammad Khatami becauze he looks
like the person who is going to make some difference in Iranian social
structure and inject some very needed democracy to Irans ill body. Hassan
To top
Slow but sure
* For the efforts and strides he has made for Iran, especially on an
internationaly level. Iran now has investors from Holland, France and Italy.
Iranians have a voice and a right to vote. He has a female vice-president,
showing women are capable and encouraged to have a public life and career.
While he is criticized a lot for not being strong enough, I feel he is
doing a good job of keeping both factions happy, as much as possible, while
trying to bring more freedom to Iranians. The process is slow, to overthrow
tyranny, without violence, which is what I think Khataimi wants to do.
L Asadi
To top
Human values
* He, with the help of the people, started to show the real face of
Islam to all human beings. His proposal for dialog between the nations
will give a very human face to Iranians, and Iran can be the centre of
the world. Actually I think by selecting him as the Iranian of the century
we are selecting the Iranian way of thinking for human values. Alireza Asadi-Khomami
To top
Toward...
* For his taking Iran toward a more accepteble democracy. Ashkan
Xerves
To top
Liking Iran
* My choice is Mr. Khatami because he has allowed the freedom upon his
people and Iran has become a more pleasent place to be and talk about.
Plus more countries are begininng to like it. Mona
Jamshidi
To top
Steady
* Steady change is what's needed and he seems to be on the right track.
Fereidoun
To top
