I am not writing about him because he is a remarkable Iranian politician or because he is the former president of the country, nor am I writing about him because he is a Shiite scholar who holds a degree in Islamic philosophy from Germany. I am writing about him because I believe that he would still play a role in the future of that Persian State. He is a man who has acquired an international reputation as a model of moderation and political balance. He moved his country from Iran the Revolution to Iran the State. He is the reformist that almost got Iran out of isolation towards integration in the international community. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Egypt after he left the presidency. He was invited by Al-Azhar for its annual conference. I admired the speech he gave in which he said: “We look forward to Al-Azhar leading the Islamic world, Sunnis and Shiites alike,” referring to its spiritual leadership and religious guidance. I believe this phrase expresses how the Shiites in the world really look to Al-Azhar, the leading Sunni institution in the world that embraces the Shiite doctrine. We all remember Al-Azhar Grand Imam in the 1960's, Mahmoud Shaltout, when he issued a fatwa putting the Shiite Jaafari doctrine at par with the four Sunni doctrines. And we in Egypt do not have a Sunni-Shiite conflict, for the Egyptians are Sunnis with a Shiite inclination, as I always say. This good land hosted the prophet's family in the first century Hijrah and has become a haven for them. I remember I once told Khatami in the presence of Shiite and Sunni imams, of whom I remember Ayatollah Montazeri and Mahmoud Ashour, the Al-Azhar former undersecretary: “I was once in Iran when you were president. Your counselor Mohammad Ali Abtahi was escorting me throughout my visit. I was happy to see the positive developments, the openness and the moderation. And I was particularly happy to notice the effective role of the Iranian women, and how you have the best family planning program in the Islamic world. Also you have the second largest film industry in Asia, after India. But I am worried about those emotional and uncalculated remarks of President Ahmadinejad. I see no point in denying the Holocaust, thereby provoking millions of Jews and non-Jews who still remember Hitler's gas chambers.”
He said: “What we should say is that if the Holocaust really happened, the Palestinians should not pay for it. Actually, the Jews must learn a lesson from it and start treating others well, especially the Palestinians.” Khatami has also that day expressed his admiration of Egypt, whose president invited him to breakfast although he was a former Head of State on a religious and not political visit. President Mubarak had met Khatami before in an international conference in Geneva when he was still in office. There is no doubt that Khatami was welcome in Egypt for his moderation and his awareness of Egypt's history. And I must say that I also noticed the same consideration for Egypt when I was in Iran. The people there talked about our cultural similarities. They appreciated how President Sadat welcomed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, provided him medical treatment and later ordered that he be buried in the Royal cemetery, especially that the Shah was rejected by everyone, including the U.S. that used to be his first ally. Khatami said that he saw no reason for any Sunni-Shiite dispute, as they are the same religion, worship the same God and had the same prophet. He used to talk to us in Arabic and sometimes in Farsi through an interpreter. But he gave his speech at Al-Azhar University in Arabic. I want to say that Khatami constitutes hope for Iran, and that he would add a lot to the Arab world.
