WEST ALWAYS PERCEIVED KHATAMI AS LIBERAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2006 17:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The West always perceived Khatami as a leader of
the liberal wing of the Iranian society, and first of all students,
Armenian political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, when commenting on the isseu of a US visa
to former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. In his words, during
Khatami’s Presidency in Iran, especially during the first tenure,
there was thaw in US-Iran relations. "Washington probably remembers
differences between Khatami and ayatollah Khamenei, arisen at the
time. Although Khatami lately made a few harsh statements, addressed
to the US, Washington apparently views him as a potential leader of
a democratic movement. Favor towards him, in the opinion of American
strategists, should signal and stimulate proponents of democratic
changes in the country. It is another attempt to split the Iranian
society," the political scientist said.