Iranian government on Knife-Edge

[democratic]

Iranian government on knife-edge as conservatives bid for absolute power
Mon Jan 12, 3:21 PM ET

amid warnings his government could collapse under a wave of resignations, President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites) vowed he would assert his constitutional position as the regime's number-two to reverse the decision by council, a bastion of the religious right that has consistently blocked reforms.

"Because these elections are so crucial, I hope that this time the president will act as he has promised," warned the president's younger brother Mohammad Reza Khatami, the disqualified head of Iran's largest reform party.

"If we fail, the gap between the regime and society will widen," said the head of the Participation Front (IIPF). "This is a big danger for the regime."

The government was also risking collapse, with up to eight cabinet ministers reportedly preparing to resign and all of Iran's 27 provincial governors saying they will also quit unless the crisis is resolved within a week.

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said that Khamenei, Khatami and parliament speaker Mehdi Karoubi were "reflecting on the matter", but the supreme leader later distanced himself from the crisis.

"Once all the legal steps have been exhausted, if we arrive at a sensitive situation which demands a decision, then there can be no doubt that I will intervene and give my opinion," state television quoted Khamenei as saying.

Iran's reformist-run interior ministry -- charged with organising the February 20 ballot -- said the Council had rejected 44.2 percent of candidates, or 3,605 out of 8,157 who registered.

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