Khatami hits at Iran conservatives

Khatami: Focus on economic reform and job creation

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- President Mohammad Khatami has been sworn in as Iranian president for a second four-year term promising to develop a better future.

He took the oath of office before parliament with the top leaders of Iran's Islamic regime in attendance and then delivered a wide-ranging, hour-long inaugural speech.

The speech promised further reformist legislation while attacking conservatives in the Tehran political structure.

"The power given to me will be used for the benefit of the people," said the president, who lost his most-recent battle against the conservative power structure. "We are fully responsible for the future of this country and its people."

Khatami criticised Iran's Justice Department which has shut down dozens of newspapers across the country and has jailed many of the president's political allies. He called for tolerance and respect for freedom of speech.

Dressed in a black imma (turban) and brown cloak, the president suggested conservatives were standing in the way of his reformist agenda.

RESOURCES Iran election 2001

"We could have more success but for mistakes that some selfish people had in our society and our government," Khatami said. "We need to take care of people's needs, we need to hear people and their needs. I will use my four years experience towards the coming four years."

Khatami's scheduled inauguration over the weekend was delayed until midweek because of a constitutional crisis brought on by a power struggle between the reformist-dominated parliament and conservatives that hold veto power over elected officials.

In a letter sent to the speaker of parliament late on Saturday, the country's supreme spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the ceremony should be postponed until ambiguities in the constitution could be worked out.

Khatami, who won a landslide 77 percent of the vote in the June 8 election, was confirmed as president for a second term by Khamenei last Thursday. But that was only half of a two-part confirmation process which also requires a civil confirmation.

Khamenei, left, was forced to intervene in parliamentary struggle on Khatami's swearing-in

The mainly reformist majlis or parliament had objected to the judiciary's choice of two hardline lawyers to sit on the powerful 12-member Guardian Council.

The latter has the power to veto any legislation passed by the parliamentary chamber, and consistently used its authority to block reformist bills passed during Khatami's first four years in office.

The stalemate was eventually broken when Khamenei, ordered parliament on Tuesday to endorse the two hard-line candidates, Abba Ali Kadkhodaei and Mohsen Esmaeli.

Although the majlis bowed to Khamenei's will, its displeasure was evident in the fact that of the 249 parliamentary members 162 abstained from voting for the two candidates.

The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of senior military and judicial officials, as well as members of the Guardian Council.