|
Iranian MPs resign en masse
<SPAN CLASS=HILITE>Via Bros. Judd:>Many Iranian cabinet ministers and other senior officials have tendered their resignations over hardlinersâ disqualification of parliamentary candidates, the Iranian vice-president said today, warning that the countryâs entire reformist government was ready to quit over the affair. "A number of cabinet ministers and a number of vice-presidents have resigned. Naturally, they are waiting to see how things go, but the cabinet ministers are very serious in their resignation," Mohammad Ali Abtahi told reporters after a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace. Asked whether the countryâs president, Mohammad Khatami, would join the walk-out, he said: "It is supposed that all of us will go together." Questioned about his own position, Mr Abtahi smiled but failed to respond... If itâs not a free election in which people can elect their preferred candidate, then there should be a boycott," Mr Armin, who has been barred from seeking re-election, told the Guardian. Aside from the guardian council, hardline clerics also control other key unelected bodies such as the judiciary and the state media. The latter deny reformistsâ claims that the disqualifications are a ploy to swing the elections the conservativesâ way and insist that those disqualified failed to meet the legal criteria for candidacy. State television has yet to show footage of the sit-in, but about 80 MPs gather every afternoon in the lobby of the parliament building to listen to speeches and give interviews to journalists. Others have been sleeping in their offices or committee rooms. Posted by: Anonymous2u 2004-01-21 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=24792 |