Iran's New President

In a stunning setback to the clerical establishment, underdog Mohammad Khatami, 52, won a landslide victory in the 23 May presidential elections. Khatami took 69% of the 29.1 million votes cast. Although he will be tightly constrained by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei who will set the policy framework, the new president promises to introduce a more liberal social climate and possibly also a more flexible foreign policy.