Iran government threatens to quit

IRAN’S reformist government threatened to resign yesterday as other reformers accused hardliners of treason for disqualifying candidates in next month’s parliamentary elections.

In a deepening of the nation's political crisis, the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted vice president Mohammad Sattarifar as saying: "If the government feels that it can't fulfil its responsibilities in protecting legitimate freedoms, such as defending the rights of the nation for a free and fair elections, then it does not believe that there is any reason to stay in power."

That statement late Monday is the strongest yet indicating President Mohammad Khatami's government may be willing to resign if it cannot ensure fair elections February 20.

However, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has pledged to intervene if the crisis is not resolved soon.

The Guardian Council, an unelected hardline constitutional watchdog, has barred more than 3,000 of the 8,200 people including more than 80 sitting lawmakers who filed papers to run for a seat in the 290-member parliament.

Lawmakers have said all of those disqualified were reformists. State broadcast media controlled by hardliners have said the candidates were disqualified because they lacked "the necessary legal qualifications".

Iran's largest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, meanwhile, said in a statement yesterday that disqualifying the reform candidates amounted to treason because it damages Iran's international credibility and will result in "sham elections".

"We consider the disqualifications national treason and an attempt to transform the Islamic Republic into a despotic establishment," the party said. "Disqualifications deny the people their constitutional right to choose and be chosen Hardliners seek to set up a sham parliament through sham elections."

The United States urged the Iranian government to oppose any interference in the electoral process. "We would note that a government's handling of the electoral process is one of the fundamental measurements of its credibility," US State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said yesterday.

The European Union's foreign policy chief also said the elections would not be credible unless the disqualifications are reversed. It would be "difficult to explain [to the European parliament] how a lawmaker can't be a candidate," Javier Solana said while visiting Tehran.

Reformists have threatened to boycott the elections if the disqualifications are not reversed. Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, said he would intervene only after all legal channels are exhausted.

Many legislators, including those disqualified, have staged a sit-in inside the parliament building since Sunday, when the Guardian Council's action was announced. Mr Khatami has vowed to contest the disqualifications, saying there would be a "harsh reaction" if legal means failed to overturn them.

If they stand, the disqualifications would be another blow to reformists, whose popularity has waned because of their perceived failure to deliver on promises of liberalisation.

Hardliners have long used their control of unelected bodies such as the judiciary and the Guardian Council to stymie reform efforts. Mr Khatami and his allies seek to liberalise Iran from strict political and social controls. Hardliners regard such changes as undermining the principles of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The disqualified legislators include Mohammad Reza Khatami, younger brother of the president, and Behzad Nabavi, both deputy speakers of parliament. Others are Elaheh Koulaee and Fatemeh Haqiqatjou, prominent women's rights defenders.