Although the failure of Nasrollah Jahangard, President Khatami's nominee for the portfolio of Post, Telegraph and Telephone, to win a vote of confidence in the Majlis on Tuesday could be interpreted as a setback for the president at first glance, those who are aware of the emerging permutation and alignment of forces do not consider it a defeat for the head of the Executive.
Indeed, with the next presidential elections about to emerge on the country's political horizon, it is but natural that different parties and political groups explore ways to new formations, adjustments and alterations in the existing contour of the political spectrum in our country.
Jahangard, a member of the Islamic Iran Participation Party (IIPP) and a former member of the Office for Consolidation of Unity, was in fact a nominee of the IIPP, and Khatami was pressured by the IIPP to accept its nominee.
The rejection of Jahangard by the Majlis has many positive points and good lessons to be learnt both by the IIPP and the president.
It seems that some political parties and groups have given priority to professionalism over factionalism and group interests, and this is a positive point for them and for the nation.
Another positive point is that President Khatami will now adjust his future relations with political parties in accordance with their weight and position in Iran's political spectrum.
Yet another positive point is that some parties, including the IIPP, have now a better insight into their own weak and strong points. Hence, they will now try to influence the process of decision-making in the country according to their actual political weight, not on the basis of their illusions. In fact, the IIPP's failure to impose a minister on the Majlis and the president must have served it as an eye-opener.
Finally, President Khatami should now realize that the IIPP is deeply engaged in political bickering, so much so that it has failed to pay due attention to international issues and utilize Iran's chairmanship of the OIC to promote the interests of the Islamic world.
Furthermore, paying too much attention to domestic politicking has prevented the IIPP from taking measures to solve economic problems facing the people.
The president is now in a better position to analyze some meetings of the IIPP in the past few weeks.
If the above meetings have been in line with the new permutation of political forces in the light of the forthcoming presidential elections, then Khatami should reconsider his unconditional reliance on some political figures.