Date : 24/08/2000
PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S BROTHER UNDER SERIOUS ATTACK FROM OWN RANKS
TEHRAN, AUG 24 (KUNA) -- A MEETING OF IRAN'S LARGEST POLITICAL BLOC ERUPTED
INTO A FRACAS AFTER PRESIDENT MOHAMMAD KHATAMI'S BROTHER WAS ACCUSED OF
ABUSING HIS BROTHER'S OFFICE, A NEWSPAPER REPORTED THURSDAY.
"MR. (MOHAMMAD REZA) KHATAMI SHOULD NOT BE MISTAKEN. DON'T THINK YOU WERE
GIVEN ALL THESE (TOP) MANAGEMENT POSTS BECAUSE OF YOUR MERITS. YOU ARE RATHER
BENEFITING FROM BEING THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER," REFORMIST LAWMAKER AKBAR ALEMI
TOLD THE YOUNGER KHATAMI.
THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED IN THE CONSERVATIVE DAILY ENTEKHAB AS QUOTED BY
AN UNIDENTIFIED LEGISLATOR.
THE QUARREL ERUPTED AT A MEETING OF THE KHORDAD SECOND (K2) MOVEMENT
TUESDAY EVENING.
THE MOVEMENT, WHICH IS PRESENTLY THE LARGEST BLOC IN THE MAJLIS, IS AN
UMBRELLA GROUP OF 18 PRO-REFORM GROUPS AND PARTIES.
THE ISLAMIC IRAN PARTICIPATION FRONT (IIPF) LED BY THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER
IS THE K2'S BIGGEST MEMBER.
ALEMI, A DEPUTY FROM TABRIZ AND IIPF CO-MEMBER WAS PROTESTING REZA
KHATAMI'S RECENT APPOINTMENT AS DIRECTOR OF THE MAJLIS RESEARCH CENTER, A
POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL POLITICAL THINK TANK.
HE POINTED OUT THAT REZA KHATAMI ALREADY HOLDS KEY POSTS INCLUDING
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE IIPF, HEAD OF THE PARTY FACTION IN PARLIAMENT AND
VICE-SPEAKER OF THE MAJLIS.
ACCORDING TO HIM, HEAD OF THE RESEARCH BODY MUST HAVE AT LEAST 10 YEARS
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE "THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU DO NOT HAVE."
FOLLOWING ALEMI'S STATEMENTS, MEYSAM SAEEDI, ANOTHER SENIOR MEMBER OF THE
IIPF AND TEHRAN DEPUTY CONFRONTED HIM VERBALLY AND THE ALTERCATION ENDED WITH
THE MEDIATION OF OTHER CONFEREES.
REZA KHATAMI, WHO BAGGED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES IN THE FEBRUARY MAJLIS
ELECTIONS WAS SILENT DURING THE ENTIRE INCIDENT.
K2 REFORMERS LED BY THE PRESIDENT'S PHYSICIAN TURNED POLITICAL HERO BROTHER
DOMINATE THE 290-SEAT IRANIAN LEGISLATURE.
DIFFERENCES EMERGED IN K2 RANKS SOON AFTER THEIR UNPRECEDENTED ELECTION
VICTORY WHICH EFFECTIVELY ENDED NEARLY TWO DECADES OF CONSERVATIVE POWER IN
THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST LAW-MAKING INSTITUTION.
HOWEVER, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME ONE OF IRAN'S MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN AND
STRONG OPPONENT OF NEPOTISM IS HIMSELF BEING SINGLED OUT FOR ABUSING HIS
BROTHER'S OFFICE AND FAILING TO PRACTICE WHAT HE PREACHES. (END)
AS.BS
KUNA 241006 Aug 00NNNN