Seyed Mohammad Khatami Turns 83

In Khordad 1376 (1997), a man emerged who had the will of the decisive majority of the people behind him. Seyed Mohammad Khatami, known as the man in the chocolate-colored cloak, gave elections in Iran a new meaning. He united and gave hope to Iranian society, which was worried about war and divisions for various reasons, under the shadow of elections, and for eight years Iran shone in domestic economy, domestic politics and foreign policy.

Mohammad Ali Sobhani*- Khatami, born on October 21, 1322, turned 83 years old today. I congratulate him on his birthday. I am not one to praise people, but people appear in the world who use their opportunities to serve humanity and peace and reconciliation, and because of this, they become popular and the positive effects of their lives remain.

For example, Mandela, who emerged from the southernmost point of the world (South Africa) through the oppression and corruption of the apartheid government and in the black part of the suburbs of Johannesburg, and fights against oppression and discrimination, and in his intellectual maturity, after years of face-to-face struggle with apartheid, he stands in front of his friends and defends the fighter without violence and legal struggle and declares that we have a future with guns and elimination of each other. We won't have it, Mandela becomes a global symbol of non-violent legal struggle.

As an African election observer wearing the blue uniform of the guardian of peace and freedom, I was present for two weeks along with thousands of political, diplomatic and media activists from around the world in holding the most important elections in the contemporary world and the first elections in South Africa. Of course, before the elections, in the meeting we had with Mandela at his personal home, and I handed him the invitation of the then president, I asked him, Mr. Mandela, what are you doing with the whites? Because it is already clear that the country and the power will fall into your hands, he said a sentence that cannot be forgotten.

"Whites are the unique capacities of this country; We cannot ignore them and we will adhere to the logic of participation and one vote per person. Their experience is the capital of our country."

This golden sentence and this realistic and wise decision of Mandela made South Africa achieve democracy and at the same time the machine of development and construction did not stop working.

It should be noted that the whites had created a unique infrastructure in this country that was enough for the 40 million population of South Africa; While in the same year, their number was eight million, and the number of blacks and coloreds was 32 million.

Mandela became a symbol of democracy in Africa and African countries went through civil wars one after another and replaced war with understanding and cooperation.

Mandela's inspiration for world peace was able to benefit him and his country from the blessing of global respect.

I frankly compare June 2, 1367 with April 26, 1994, i.e. Ardibehesht, 1973. In Khordad 76, a man emerged who had the will of the overwhelming majority of the people behind him. Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, who became known as a man with a chocolate robe, gave a new meaning to the elections in Iran and united and hoped the Iranian society, which was worried about war and differences for various reasons, under the shadow of the elections, and for eight years, Iran shone brightly in the economy, domestic politics, and foreign policy.

The political and economic index in the country, despite all the disruptions of the extremists, shows the best of Iran in the last 60 years, which is not the place to discuss it here. However, Khatami was able to bring the world's highest diplomatic summit, the United Nations, to his thinking with the approach of de-escalation and dialogue between civilizations, and for many years, he promoted Iran and Iranians as representatives of dialogue, friendship and peace in the world.

Khatami's plan and idea was approved by the United Nations. The name of Khatami and the Iranian nation as a global reformer and messenger of peace and dialogue was recorded forever.

Russia for those who shut down the dialogue of civilizations after Khatami and tried to forget Khatami with the pressure and limitation of his thought.

Today, when the danger of war has become serious all over the world, Iran has gone through two major wars, and unfortunately, the shadow of war flies over our country and region like an ill-fated owl, Khatami's place in Iran's domestic and foreign policy is empty.

There is no place for Khatami's thought and plan for internal dialogue and international dialogue. While congratulating on the birthday of this compassionate, realistic and unpretentious man, I emphasize that the opportunity of the likes of Khatami in Iran and in the world should be used to end violence and war, so that the voices that unfortunately herald the war of civilizations and insult Iran's rich culture and seven thousand years of history become ineffective.

I repeat again, the place of Mandela and Khatami's reformist ideas is empty.