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Khatami's Surprising Reformist Victory
- Muhammad Khatami's 1997 landslide victory represented a united reformist coalition seeking liberalization and the legacy of social justice from the revolution.
- His surprise win reflected widespread public enthusiasm and a diverse electorate beyond traditional Islamic Republic supporters.
Reformists' Structural Challenges
- Khatami's reform project faced systemic stonewalling by conservative institutions and violent repression like the chain murders of intellectuals.
- The reformists' failure lay in limited grassroots mobilization and neglect of working-class economic concerns, alienating large swaths of society.
US Policy Crushes Reform Hopes
- The US government's 'Axis of Evil' designation in 2002 abruptly ended reformist hopes for rapprochement with America after 9/11 cooperation.
- US neo-conservatives' regime change agenda severely hindered Iran's reformist diplomacy and fueled hardliner narratives condemning the US.