Reformism: A Tragic Drama
Reformism: A Tragic Drama According to Iran Gate, a media activist recently posed a question on Twitter about what exactly Khatami should be doing these days. This question arose because these days, no matter what reformists do, whether they support public protests or not, or even if they remain silent, at best, they are ignored by the public. More often, they are attacked with insults, mockery, and sarcasm.
The essence of the matter is what Mohsen Mirdamadi said: a significant portion of the Iranian people, including the majority who did not participate in the 2020 elections or cast blank votes, have moved beyond not just the reformists but everything. The current state of reformism is like a double-edged sword. Hardliners criticize the head of the judiciary for associating with reformists, while protesting citizens accuse reformists of pursuing their own interests or trying to suppress public demands and protests.
The second suspicion arose after the weekly Sobh-e-Sadegh embraced part of a speech by Khatami from a month ago. However, the real answer was what Abtahi gave to these suspicions: nothing has happened, it’s just an article to sow discord, and Khatami’s usual reformist views have not been accepted by the establishment. Despite Khatami’s correspondence with the leadership and reformists’ meetings with high-ranking officials to prevent violence and improve affairs, there is no sign that the authorities have considered these demands, which is unfortunate.
The fruitlessness of reformists’ actions, in any form, is evident enough. As Abtahi said, Khatami wrote three letters to the leadership, suggesting to skip the third steps and address issues from the first step. These letters have yet to receive a response.
Renewed Attacks by Kayhan and Karimi Ghodoosi on Khatami
Despite being aware of the decline in popularity of reformists and Khatami, and the diminishing role of reformism among the people, Kayhan and Karimi Ghodoosi still seem concerned. That’s why, regardless of what Khatami says, even if he tries to stay neutral, some factions within principlism believe he should be insulted under any circumstances, to the extent that they even blame him for current issues.
Karimi Ghodoosi, who has a long history of accusing various individuals and has faced numerous complaints for his accusations without any consequences, claimed, quoting Firouzabadi, that Khatami met with the NATO commander during the 2009 unrest and asked them to intervene as they advanced domestically.
Khatami’s recent statement, which became the headline for most reformist media, has once again angered Kayhan. This newspaper, which has repeatedly attacked Khatami for every word and statement in recent months, now claims that Khatami, in his statement, openly supported chaos and rioters and the slogans dictated by the British embassy to them.
In another claim, it was said that Ms. Molaverdi, Rouhani’s deputy, had a plan to insure prostitutes.
A month ago, they again attacked Khatami, claiming that he was among the leaders of the coup against the people’s vote in 2009, then accused him of preferring political opportunism over political rationality and the public’s welfare. Now, in the 2021 incident, Khatami has shown he has no relation to political responsibility.
We Haven’t Made a Hat from the Felt of Power
Suspicion towards reformists regarding their recent meetings and moves to open dialogue with power is so high from both the public and principlists that Ali Shakouri Rad, the former secretary-general, and Azar Mansouri, the current secretary-general of the Iranian People’s Unity Party, have sworn that they want nothing for themselves.
Mansouri, referring to her meeting with Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and after proposing demands such as the release of prisoners, the abolition of death sentences, the implementation of the constitution, lifting the ban on social networks, and recognizing the right to protest, stated that they have no plans for elections nor are they seeking a share in power. What they desire is the realization of good governance in the country that will simultaneously benefit the state and the nation.
Ali Shakouri Rad also stated that in the meeting with Eje’i, neither election discussions were raised, nor did they have any demands for themselves. Even Tajzadeh was not mentioned. However, all these seem unlikely to change the situation of reformists, neither among the people nor within the government.