TEHRAN - One year after the election of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, political life in Iran more than ever resembles pitiless trench warfare between rival factions. The election of the Khatami as president on May 23, 1997, reshuffled a political deck previously stacked by the conservatives and ever since has provoked an almost continuous series of sometimes violent crises within the regime.

Within six months of Khatami's election, conservatives elements launched a violent attack on their rivals, accusing them of calling into question the authority of Khamenei, who represents the regime's theocratic legitimacy. The focal point for the clash was Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, who said Khamenei was interfering in politics too much and should "supervise, not rule.

The violence in Qom was a major escalation in political battling between Iran's factions, and marked the unexpected return to daylight of bitter quarrels once waged over who would succeed Khomeini upon his death on June 4, 1989.

Khatami had to contend with another major crisis last month, which kicked off with the spectacular arrest of Tehran's mayor on corruption charges. The arrest of the mayor put the government on the defensive and set off a crisis without precedent in the regime between the conservative judiciary and the government.

The sparring has spread to religious circles, notably in the provinces.

Iran Arrests Son-in-law of Cleric, Reuter, May 21

TEHRAN - Iranian authorities have arrested the son-in-law of Hossein Ali Montazeri. The Kayhan quoted an unnamed informed source as saying Hadi Hashemi had been arrested for "provoking conflict and tension particularly in the cities of Isfahan and Ahmadabad."

The central city of Isfahan, and Montazeri's nearby hometown of Najafabad, have been hotbeds of protests since the dissident cleric was put under house arrest and prevented from teaching after he questioned the authority of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Iranian newspapers have in recent days reported a number of arrests in Isfahan and Ahmadabad.

Hashemi is the brother of Mehdi Hashemi, who was executed in 1987. Mehdi Hashemi's name has been back in the news again since Khamenei last week said Montazeri's backers were linked to "Mehdi Hashemi's criminal gang," and to Iraq-based armed rebels.
 

Guards "Worried" About Political Developments, Agence France Presse, May 21

TEHRAN - A commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Thursday the elite force was "worried" about recent political and cultural developments and vowed to defend the values of the 1979 revolution.

The chief of the guards' ground forces, Brigadier General Mohammad-Ali Jafari, said the force "will not be intimidated and is determined to defend the Islamic and revolutionary values."

"We are ready to be sacrificed for Islam and the revolution. Sepah is set up to guard the revolution and its achievements. It is natural that we should be worried for the country's security and the present developments," he told a gathering of military officers.

"The whispers of an end to the era of the revolution are all plots which can only be foiled by the alertness of an active revolutionary forces," Jafari warned.

"We should not be afraid of saying what is right or waver in defending the revolution's values. The Sepah will follow the political and cultural developments with sensitivity," he said.

Blatant Internal Conflicts, Reuter, May 21

DUBAI - "A year after Khatami's election, the economic situation is worse and, as far as political liberties are concerned, nothing has changed...An important change is that conflicts between the regime's leaders are more blatant," said Mohammad Mohaddessin, foreign affairs chief of the National Council of Resistance (NCR).

"Khatami's election is actually a boost for the struggle of the resistance and the people by sharpening the regime's internal contradictions and making it weaker than ever," Mohaddessin told Reuters.
 

MPs Urge Probe Into Poor Performance of National Team, Agence France Presse, May 21

TEHRAN - Iranian MPs called for a "serious probe" Thursday into a spate of poor performances by the national soccer team just three weeks ahead of the start of the World Cup in France.

Iran's worst defeat in its recent soccer history "wounded the sentiments of our people, notably the youth," said an MP from province of West Azerbaijan.

Mostafa Ahmadieh, from city of Karaj went further calling Iran's crushing 7-1 defeat in Rome on Tuesday to an AS Rome reserve side a "painful catastrophe."

Iran's football federation sacked the team's Croat Tomislav Ivic a day after the defeat in Rome.
 

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