TEHRAN - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has named a commission of high officials to study Iran's economic problems and draw up recommendations to the new government, local newspapers said on Thursday.

The daily Iran newspaper said commission members would include Economy and Finance Minister Hossein Namazi, Central Bank Governor Mohsen Nourbakhsh, Vice President Mohammad Ali Najafi who heads the Plan and Budget Organization and Mohammad Hashemi who is vice president in charge of executive affairs…

Namazi… told parliament last month the state budget had a deficit of 15 trillion rials ($5 billion) on a spending of 188.6 trillion rials.

The statement was a rare admission by a state official on the budget which is formally balanced.

The analysts said high popular expectations of social and economic reforms could become a political burden for the new government which took over after winning a parliamentary of confidence on August 20.

Political Strategy Set by Khamenei, State-Run News Agency (IRNA), August 24 

In its Sunday editorial, the Tehran based Jomhouri Islami pointed out that the West was trying to pretend that with the new administration, Iran would revise its foreign policy positions. The daily added: "The new administration, like the previous ones, safeguards the interests of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation and will base its foreign policy on this same principle."

Jomhouri Islami added: "A more important point the West should take note of is that the political strategy of the regime was drawn by the leader of the revolution, and that the change of governments did not at all affect it."

Tehran's Police Chief, A Woman Hater, Agence France Presse, August 26 

IRNA reported the commander of Iranian State Security Forces had chosen General Ayat Goodarzi as the Chief of Tehran's Police. Goodarzi used to be deputy commander of the State Security Forces and head of the section to combat social vice, which is some type of a moral police.

The Israeli radio also reported the appointment of the new Security Forces Commander, noting that: "Previously, he was head of the section to combat social corruption which also enforced the Islamic dress code for women."

Women's Committee Members are Half Men, Hamshahri, August 24 

Elections for the board of directors of the Committee on Women, Family and Youth was carried out today in Majlis. Marzieh Dastjerdi was elected chairwoman, Ibrahim Azizi first vice chairman, Ali Mo'alemi, second vice chairman, Monireh Nobakht rapporteur, Hamid Taraqqi first secretary and Elaheh Rastgoo second secretary...

On the reason why some of the woman deputies did not become members of this committee, one Majlis deputy said: "Based on the plan ratified in the Majlis, not all women can become members of committees."

Public Flogging, Iran Zamin News Agency, August 26 

Two young men were flogged in public last Wednesday on the charge of corruption. Each man received between 80-85 lashes.

Those forced to watch the scene were obviously upset and cursed at the Revolutionary Guards.

Shortage of Space in Prisons, Ressalat, August 18

Mr. Arab Baghi, one of the representatives of Orumieh in Majlis, presented a report on the condition of prisoners in the meeting of the administrative council of Western Azerbaijan province.

He said: 1,825 prisoners have not yet been charged. The prison is made for 1,700 to 1,800 persons, and therefore, the authorities must quickly attend to this problem.

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