| Election Name: | 1997 Iranian presidential election |
| Country: | Iran |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Party Colour: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1993 Iranian presidential election |
| Previous Year: | 1993 |
| Next Election: | 2001 Iranian presidential election |
| Next Year: | 2001 |
| Election Date: | 23 May 1997 |
| Registered: | 36,466,487 |
| Turnout: | 79.92% |
| Nominee1: | Mohammad Khatami |
| Party1: | Association of Combatant Clerics |
| Popular Vote1: | 20,078,187 |
| Percentage1: | 69.07% |
| Nominee2: | Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri |
| Party2: | CCA |
| Popular Vote2: | 7,242,859 |
| Percentage2: | 24.91% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Before Party: | CCA |
| After Election: | Mohammad Khatami |
| After Party: | Association of Combatant Clerics |
| Alliance1: | Reformists |
| Alliance2: | Principlists |
Presidential elections were held in Iran on 23 May 1997, which resulted in an unpredicted win for the reformist candidate Mohammad Khatami. The election was notable not only for the lopsided majority of the winner - 70% - but for the high turnout. 80% of those eligible to vote did so, compared to 50% in the previous presidential election.[1]
During the election, voting age was 15 and more than half of Iran's population was younger than 25.[2]
The Council of Guardians blocked 234 candidates from running for the presidency because they lacked the religious and political qualifications.[3] [4] Only four candidates were permitted to run for office:
The candidates were asked about their opinion on the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri said that any "a good Muslim" would carry out the fatwa.[6] Mohammad Khatami avoided the issue.[6] Mohammad Khatami's supporters called Nateq-Nouri the "Taliban" of Iran.[7]
Khatami ran on a platform of political liberalization at home and détente abroad[8] and expressed support for the easing Islamic regulations "from women's dress to whether TV satellite dishes should be allowed."[9]
During the elections, neutrality of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) became a subject of dispute, as the organization was accused of supporting Nateq-Nouri and promoting conservative agenda.[13]
| 1997 Iranian presidential election | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Nohen et al[17] | ISSDP | ||||
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| Association of Combatant Clerics | Mohammad Khatami | 20,078,187 | 69.07 | 20,138,784 | 69.1 | ||
| Combatant Clergy Association | Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri | 7,242,859 | 24.91 | 7,248,317 | 24.87 | ||
| Independent | Reza Zavarei | 771,460 | 2.65 | 772,707 | 2.65 | ||
| Association for Defence of Revolution Values | Mohammad Reyshahri | 742,598 | 2.55 | 744,205 | 2.65 | ||
| Blank or invalid votes | 240,996 | 0.93 | 241,732 | 0.83 | |||
| Totals | 29,067,100 | 100 | 29,145,745 | 100 | |||
| Registered voters | 33,784,000 | 86.04 | 36,466,487 | 79.92 | |||