Iranian Intelligence Minister to Be Sacked
TEHRAN (Jan. 7) XINHUA - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami vowed to
sack Intelligence Minister Qorbanali Dorri Najafabadi after his ministry
admitted that its agents were involved in serial murders of dissidents
and intellectuals.
"President Khatami underlined that he would dismiss him (Najafabadi)
if he would not resign," local daily Salam on Thursday quoted informed
sources as saying.
The sources said that Khatami would take over the Intelligence Ministry
by himself and appoint one of the current deputy intelligence ministers
as acting intelligence minister.
The Intelligence Ministry announced on Tuesday night that it had arrested
a few of its own "devious colleagues" for being involved in the
mysterious killings of an opposition leader and several dissident writers
later last year.
The admittance shocked the Iranian society. Some print media have called
for the resignation of the conservative minister and a pro-Khatami political
party also urged the government to change the structure of the country's
security and intelligence system.
Leader of the Iran Nation Party Darius Forouhar and his wife were stabbed
to death at home in November and several dissident writers were killed
in Tehran in December.
Some conservatives have previously blamed "foreign enemies"
for the murders.
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