Iranian President Mohammed Khatami began his second term of office this week. Any hopes that his second landslide win might have chastened the country's conservatives were quickly put to rest in a last-minute power play. Mr. Khatami was supposed to have been sworn in last Sunday, but a dispute with hardliners forced a postponement. A solution was worked out but it bodes ill for Iran's democrats. Mr. Khatami and his supporters, who comprise a substantial majority of the population, are again on the defensive. The president may be committed to Islamic democracy and the people's rights, but the conservative opposition remains determined to head off any liberalization.

Mr. Khatami was re-elected earlier this summer, when he won 76.9 percent of the vote, even more than he collected in his surprise win four years ago. But the country's hardliners -- the conservative clergy -- have no patience for the president's reforms, no matter how much he couches them in the language of Islam. They control the "power ministries" -- the security services, the judiciary and the intelligence agencies -- and can thwart the majority's will through these unelected institutions.

Last week, the president's allies, who control a majority of seats in the Parliament, tried to block the appointment of two representatives to the Guardian Council, a body that oversees all laws and ensures that they are consistent with Islamic law. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei picks six of the 12 council members; the rest are chosen by legislators from a short list provided by the judiciary head, who is also appointed by Mr. Khamenei. In short, the conservatives vet and approve all nominees, which explains why the council has blocked many of the reform measures passed by the legislature.