Judiciary denies motion filed to oust president
TEHRAN, Dec 14 (AFP) - Iran's judiciary spokesman was quoted in Thursday's
press denying reports of a motion filed with the supreme court to oust
reformist President Mohammad Khatami from office.
"No such letter regarding the incapability of Mr. Khatami has been
received by the judiciary," Hossein Mirmohammad-Sadeq said, cited
in the Entekhab daily.
"Mr. Khatami, cherished by the people and confirmed by the supreme
leader of the revolution (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei), needs a climate of calm
to perform his duties, as do other officials," he said.
A close Khatami ally charged Monday that a conservative-led impeachment
motion was before the supreme court claiming the president was incapable
of carrying out his constitutional duties.
The charge by Mohammad Salamati, secretary general of the radical Islamic
Revolution Mujahedeen Organisation (IRMO), echoed complaints Khatami himself
has made with increasing frequency in recent weeks.
Khatami has gone public twice in the past three weeks with claims that
he is powerless to uphold his dearly-held rule of law and push through
social and political reform in the face of stiff conservative opposition.
The head of the Tehran province judiciary, Abassali Alizadeh, was quoted
Tuesday saying the claim about the motion was "false, and the person
who is found to have originated it may be pursued by the courts."
The president could only be impeached by the supreme court if such a
motion were approved by Khamenei, the nation's spiritual leader who has
final say on all matters of state.
Links
