Few dispute he will easily win another four-year term and gain fresh momentum in his quest for balance between broader freedoms and Islamic values. But that means many things to many people. Across Iran's huge capital, from the gritty bazaar district in the south to the walled villas in the north, there are countless interpretations and expectations about the anticipated Khatami landslide. Other concerns may come from rural and more traditional areas, but Tehran's sprawl of nearly 10 million people offers a reflection of the country's spectrum from almost medieval poverty to Western-standard affluence. But if they are not cared for they will die and there will be no harvest,'' said Ayyoub Karimi, whose shop in the bazaar sells fake brand name logos for knock-off fashions.
Money is king in the bazaar.
Official unemployment is 16 percent, but some experts place it close to 30 percent. A vast segment of Iran's 62 million people struggle in deep poverty in a nation with extensive oil and gas reserves. But not all are suffering. An investor at the one-room Tehran Stock Exchange watched his stocks on video monitors. One year in the market, and he's up 37 percent, he said.