An Iranian politician. Hojjat ol-Islam Seyyid Khatemi was elected to the presidency of Iran in a landslide victory in 1997. He immediately made it clear that he wanted to build a more positive relationship with the West. Khatemi's election signalled the strong desire of a large segment of the population for greater pluralism, a gentler interpretation of Islamic law, and more democracy. The struggle to create a viable Islamic state, true to the spirit of the Qura'an and yet responsive to current conditions, is still a major preoccupation of the Iranian people. Seyyid Khatemi also held a position of Cultural Minister in 1982.