Epilogue

Abstract

In autumn 2008, when I conducted fieldwork, the response to questions about the role of reformists in the upcoming presidential elections in June 2009 and the potential for reform in general were dominated by skepticism or resigned failure. Khatami was widely seen as a spent force. However, by late 2008 reformists gained surprising momentum. In fact, an entire campaign run by young reformists entitled Mowj-e Sevom (Third Wave) emerged, inviting Khatami to run for a third term as president. While Khatami’s vacillation over running initially marred this momentum, reform-leaning voters ultimately came to have two candidates from which they could choose: Mehdi Karroubi, a cleric, former speaker of parliament, and founder of the National Trust Party, and Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a figure with strong revolutionary credential who served as prime minister from 1981 to 1989 when the post was eliminated. Many of the young individuals involved in their campaigns were student activists during the reform movement or children of reformist actors. Karroubi ran under a banner of “change,” while Mousavi’s campaign slogan was for “a progressive Iran with law, justice, and freedom.” The final race was between the two aforementioned candidates, the incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Mohsen Rezai, close Khamenei ally and secretary of the Expediency Council.