What Nouri didn't understand was that conservatives were more interested in obtaining a psychological victory with his removal than actually changing government policy. That's why Nouri's successor, Abdul-Vahed Musavi Lari, has been able to follow the same policies and plans in the Interior Ministry, without any objection from the right wingers, who felt they'd achieved their ends with Nouri's removal. Mohajerani learned the lessons from Nouri's impeachment and did not make the same mistakes. Following their defeat in the 1997 presidential election, the conservatives resorted to impeachment as a means to remove certain influential pro-Khatami personalities and vent their frustrations. It is almost a case of sociopolitical psychosis.
Conservatives display a streak of political sadism when they succeed in defeating a political foe.
Failure, however, leaves them suffering spasms of political masochism. Their masochistic tendencies can be seen in their constant laments that the Islamic Revolution's values are fading away and their cries that Islam is being desecrated and destroyed. Mohajerani managed to save his position in the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance through his tactful approach to the parliament. Since then, however, the conservative-led Judiciary has taken over the question of Khatami's political and cultural development. This has meant conservatives no longer need to counter the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, since now they can directly address, rebuke and even close down the reformist newspapers.