Mohammad Khatami, born in 1943, served as Iran’s president from 1997 to 2005 and became the face of the reformist movement. A former culture minister, he emphasized civil society, dialogue among civilizations, and greater freedoms. Khatami's presidency sparked hopes among many Iranians, especially youth and intellectuals, for political openness and improved international relations. His administration sought to ease tensions with the West and introduced reforms to support freedom of expression and women's rights.
