TEHRAN, Dec 22: Iran’s President Mohammad Khatami promised angry students on Saturday that he would remain faithful to his reforms but said his hands were tied in the face of powerful hardliners.

“I may be criticized to have acted weakly and...not to have defended those jailed because of their pro-reform activities,” Khatami told a noisy gathering of students, who often interrupted his speech with chants of “No more words, we want action”.

“This may be right but I have not abandoned my programmes, and have not failed to carry out my duties. One should also consider the president’s limited powers,” Khatami told the thousands of students who jammed a hall at Tehran University or watched his speech on television outside.

“Potent action or resignation,” chanted the students, who were instrumental in Khatami’s defeat of candidates backed by the powerful clerical establishment in 1997 and his re-election in June 2001.

Khatami, a mid-ranking cleric who has championed liberal reforms, painted a picture of the Islamic republic embattled between two extremes but stressed that democracy would prevail.

“They are pitting (Islamic) values against the wishes of people, religion against freedom and disregarding the rights of the people,” Khatami said.—Reuters