Iran’s Khatami

The election of Mohammad Khatami as president of Iran signals the dawn of a new era (May 25). Since the 1979 revolution, no one person, besides Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, has enjoyed such public support. The younger generations see Khatami as a champion of their causes: openness, liberal education, fewer religious restrictions and adherence to and systematic application of laws.

The policies of the U.S. toward Iran have been misguided, if not since the 1950s, certainly since 1979. Take, for example, the CIA’s role in thwarting Prime Minister Mossadegh’s regime, support of the shah’s expenditures on weaponry as opposed to feeding and educating those who later expelled him, tacit approval of Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Iran, and now embracing the Arab governments of the Persian Gulf, which are hopelessly far away from being democracies, as a counterbalance to Iranian influence. The U.S. will be shooting itself in the foot by continuing the embargo against Iran rather than carefully embracing the moderate elements of reform.

ARTIN TERHAKOPIAN

Pasadena

* With the presidential election in Iran decided, bringing a more moderate cleric to power, will the chill between Iran and the U.S. thaw? Highly unlikely. With the reins still held by the fundamentalists, Khatami may only be allowed to relax so much--he must answer to higher authorities.

With a nation as large and as young (population age) as Iran, the people are not stupid, just tired of control and hardships; they shouldn’t look for a miracle from Khatami.

Iran is still a repressive Islamic police state with modern trappings. Only a complete overhaul will change things there.

GARY F. TRAXLER

Oxnard