A pro-reform Iranian party accused President Mohammad Khatami Saturday of failing to deliver on his pledge of democratic reform, blaming him for the "unacceptable" gap between the electorate's expectations and the government's achievements.
"You must hold your promise of establishing a civil society during your mandate," said the Islamic Iran Youth Party (IIYP) in a statement addressed to the reformist president, who ascended to power in 1997 on the back of his reform program with wide support from Iran's youth.
"The lack of a genuine and transparent strategy in order to draw up a program during the past year is ... unacceptable," said the IIYP in a statement carried by IRNA.
The party further deplored the "considerable gap between people's demands and election slogans as well as what has been achieved so far."
The IIYP has very few Members of Parliament, but is influential among young Iranian progressives.
Many members of the reformist-majority parliament have voiced their impatience over the speed of reforms recently, but Khatami's program, which took him to a comfortable re-election in 2001 has been stifled by the country's conservative-dominated judiciary and institutions.
On May 5, Khatami vowed to resign "if the government deviates a bit from the path of the revolution's goals and nation's reform movement."
In addition, he lashed out on June 2 at conservatives, warning against those "who think democracy imperils religion." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
