|
|
|
|
Middle East Review of International Affairs
What are Iran's Domestic Priorities
by Michael Rubin
*
Introduction
Great optimism surrounded Muhammad Khatami's election to the presidency of the Islamic Republic in 1997. Not only did Khatami have an unprecedented electoral mandate, but his presidency also coincided with a sharp rise in oil prices. Khatami had both the mandate and the means to improve the lives of ordinary Iranians. But, after five years, what is Khatami's legacy? He has failed to implement a single substantive reform. Simultaneously, during his tenure as president, the Islamic Republic has undertaken a military spending spree of a scope not seen since the last days of the Shah. Approximately two-thirds, if not more, of Iran's recent $12 billion windfall has been spent in pursuit of missiles and unconventional weaponry. While Khatami's Iran invests billions in sophisticated weaponry, the quality of life for ordinary Iranians has deteriorated, with inflation, labor unrest, and unemployment climbing sharply higher under his presidency. While Khatami is not mastermind of these deals, he not only has failed to use his bully pulpit to shift attention and debate to the deterioration of the living conditions of most Iranians, but he has also lent his public endorsement to the arms build-up.
Full PDF Document, 25 pages, 90kB
Endnotes
Note *: Michael Rubin is an adjunct scholar of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, currently resident at Hebrew University's Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations. Rubin received his Ph.D. in Iranian history in 1999 from Yale University, and subsequently served there as a lecturer in Iranian and Afghan history. He is the author of numerous scholarly and policy articles both on Iranian history and Iranian politics, as well as a recent monograph, Into the Shadows: Radical Vigilantes in Khatami's Iran. He has traveled extensively in Iran and is a 2002-2003 International Affairs Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations. Back