Ex-pres. Khatami rejects Mir Hossein Mousavi’s call for constitutional changes, urges return to constitution

Former Iranian President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami has issued a statement on the occasion of the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in the country, in which he implies his rejection of the recent call for constitutional reforms by jailed former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

Khatami, who was president between 1997 and 2005, said one can create a long list of proposals for reform and prioritize them, and these reforms are possible without any change to the constitution and only require a return to the current constitution.

Mousavi, who challenged the results of the 2009 presidential elections and was later jailed for “sedition” over calling for protests against the government, earlier this week issued a statement in which he hailed the recent protests in Iran and called for constitutional changes in the country.

Khatami, in his statement, said protests against “irregularities” are understandable but any slogans for removal of the current system of governance lays the ground for imposing further limitations on the public, which adds damage to injuries.

Khatami said even if a campaign with the required means to overthrow the system is formed and is ready to accept the “humiliation of dependence on a foreign part that never wants the freedom and progress” of Iran, the results will be nothing but chaos and civil war and greater bloodshed and damage, seen in many other countries.

IFP Editorial Staff

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