Speaking at a student gathering in Tehran's University of Science and Technology on Monday at a pannel discussion entitled "Aiding Khatami or Leaving Him Behind" Nabavi said, "Blind-folded moves towards left are the pests that threaten the healthy growth of any social movement and in order to contribute to the current reformist movement in Iran and help it to survive, we need to proceed gradually and move forward step by step."

Nabavi reiterated, "Neither the presseure exerted by the people, nor the extremist moves of the reactionary groups can affect the reformist movement." Instead, such policies either lead to uncalculable moves of the supporters of the reforms, or to gradual growth of pessimistc feelings among the people, both of which are hazardous for the revolution and the reformist movement."

Nabavi beleives the lack of a precise definition for the reforms is one of the serious obstacles in the way of the reformists and that any political group defines the reforms in a way to match their political and partisan interests.

"The extremists believe that the borders between `the reforms', `the degeneration of the Isalmaic movement' and the `revolution' are demolished, while the conservatives have not taken a clear stand towards the reforms. "One can not clearly understand whether they consider the reforms as drastic changes in the course of the affairs and the methods of ruling the country or merely as another means for stabilizing the current conditions," he said.

According to Nabavi, one of the main objectives of the reforms is stabilizing the revolution's main mottoes, namely "Independance, Freedom, and Islamic Republicanism," adding that, "Keeping these values alive 22 years after the victory of the revolution requires tremendous efforts."

He criticized the methods applied by certian extremists regarding forceful exertion of the Islamic dressing code for women saying, "Certain politicians have diminished the values of our great Islamic Revolution down to propper or impropper wearing of a headscarf for the women or wearing a short sleeved or a long sleeved shirt for the men in government offices."

The prominent member of the Islamic Revolution's Mujahedin Organization emphasized that by voting in favor of President Khatami on May 22, 1997, people actually announced that they would rather have their fair share of political participation and their legitimate freedoms than solving their economic problems as the first priority.

Elsewhere in his comments, Nabavi clarified that the reformists are neither after degeneration of the Islamic Revolution, nor trying to overthrow the Islamic system, as some extremists propagate. "The reformists believe that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a popular regime that is both Islamic and revolutionary and counts on the people's support. The victory of the Islamic Revolution, and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran are among the greatest achievements of our nation and they are proud of them. Therefore, the legitimacy of the regime is not questioned, but the people have serious criticisms about the current conditions."

Nabavi reiterated that the people, too, are not after toppling the political system and their vast presence at the previous presidential and parlimantary elections is sufficient proof that they respect and care for the legitimacy of their cuntry's political system.

Talking about the opponants of the reforms, Nabavi divided them into two groups. "A group of them are the opponents of the revolution and the system, and the other one resists against any kind of serious change or evolution within the system. This second reactioanry goroup's tireless efforts are focussed at creating endless problems for the reformists and presenting a medieval image of our political system to the world."

He believes both of these groups wish to leave Khatami behind and lead the reformist movement to a blind alley, so that they can present an inefficient picture of the reformists to the people.

The senior Iranian politician expressed hope that the reformist movment will survive despite the serious economic problems of the people and the strong political objections of certain intellectuals. "The reactionaries' efforts are focussed on exagerating the people's ecnomic problems and driving the intellectuals towards pessimism about the reforms so that they can more efficiently attack the reformists' current `peaceful dynamic policy'.

Answering a question regarding the extent of the Leader's power, based on the Constitution, he said, "All the different organs of our political system are precisely defined in the Constitution, while this Constitution was drafted amid a revolutionary atmosphere and can naturally be revised to match the neccesities of the reforms." Nabavi added that the Constitution is the only covenant the real friends of the revolution, including the reformists, unanimously agree upon, and must therefore be safeguarded and respected.

In reply to another student's question regarding the possiblity of paying the opponents of reforms' violent moves in the same coin Nabavi said, "In a civil society that favors democratic reforms, all moves must be based on the law and according to the democratic norms. We can only resort to the weapon of the law and our logic in order to fight against our opponants, no matter how unlawful their moves might be."

"Do some of the political groups that supported Khatami during his presidential campaign really intend to leave him behind today?" asked a student. "Such conspiracy hypotheses regarding plotting against President Khatami by his own supporters that are vastly spread in political circles and through certain means of the mass media among the common people as well, are but a new phase of the opponents of the reforms' scenario, aimed at creating chaos in the society. I can only say that these are no more than funny jokes." he answered.