BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Iranian voters apparently have spoken loud and clear for reform. Early results of parliamentary elections show a referendum for the moderate president, Mohammad Khatami. Reform candidates have won a majority of the 290 seats in parliament, wresting control from hard-line Islamic fundamentalists. From Tehran now, CNN's Christiane Amanpour looks at how this may impact the future in Iran.</s>CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A record 83 percent of the voters turned out, and just as they did nearly three years ago, it was the young and the women who overwhelmingly endorsed the freedoms and social changes promised by President Mohammad Khatami. (on camera): While people do want an easing of social controls, one of their biggest worries is the economy. It wasn't a major campaign issue, but with so few jobs here and such a high cost of living, reforming this country's ailing economy will be the government's most pressing task. (voice-over): Many Iranians take on more than one job to make ends meet. The official jobless rate is 15 percent, but it is estimated to be twice as high.</s>MEHDI BEHKISH, ECONOMIST: The number of unemployed has been increasing very rapidly during the last couple of years. Therefore, we have to create job for them, and this requires a great change in the course of economy.</s>AMANPOUR: President Khatami has proposed privatizing the economy, 80 percent of which is government controlled and devastated by years of cronyism and corruption. Rescuing the economy may turn out to be the true test of reform. Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Tehran.
Iran's Future: Youth, Women Endorse Freedoms, Social Change