Two Ayatollahs patch up rift

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 9

Two Ayatollahs patch up rift

NZPA-Reuter

Teheran

J he rift betwen two of Iran's chief religious and political leaders was fixed yesterday when one, Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani, pledged allegiance to the other. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny.

“I believe in bis purity, decisiveness, and competence," the Ayatollah Taleghani said in a broadcast statement. “I have always supported his struggle and speeches. . . I have accepted his decisive leadership.” Speaking after talks in the holy city of Qom with Ayatollah Khomeiny, leader of Iran since the anti-Shah revolution two months ago, Ayatollah Taleghani said there were no fundamental differences between them. If there were any differences of opinion, “they should not be exploited by seditionists, foreign elements. and opportunists.” he added. Avatollah Taleghani, one of the top three religious leaders in Teheran, made hit statement after spending several days in hiding during which he criticised, ir taped messages, “the trampled rights of the Iranian people" and warned the people against a relapse intc dictatorship His reappearance on radic and television and his declared support for Ayatollah Khomeiny ended speculation, which flared aftei these remarks, that he might turn against Avatollah Khomeiny’s leadership. But he indicated that he had successfully argued in their talks for a diminution of the power of the revolutionary committees which nave had a law-and-ordei

authority since the revolution and which last week arrested three of his relatives. Ayatollah Taleghani praised the committees and revolutionary guards enforcing law and order, and said his brief absence had resulted in supervision of their activities by “responsible people.” He gave no details, but indications emerged of official efforts to cut down the wild activities of gun-wield-ing revolutionary committeemen, who have acted as police since the February uprising which ousted the Shah. Earlier, Ayatollah Khomeiny called for a purge of sedition makers from he Revolutionary Committees.

/ According to the national ;i Voice of the Revolution I Radio. Ayatollah Khomeiny {told the heads of the 14 (Revolutionary Committees in Teheran that they would continue to operate until full governmental authority was established in Iran. His statement appeared to be aimed at easing a tug-of-war between the committees and the provisional Government of Dr Mehdi Bazargan over who should control post-revolutionary Iran. , The Foreign Minister (Dr Karim Sanjabi) resigned last {Monday, accusing the secret i chief committee, the Revolu- ' tionary Council, of usurping (Government authority. I Ayatollah Khomeiny,

i while saying the committees (could continue to operate, {said they should be purged I of seditionists and accused enemies of Iran of fomenting unrest and “even creating differences and disputes among religious leaders to reach their goals.” { “A group with a mission from America is preventing peace in this country,” the Ayatollah declared. “How can anyone who does not believe support the believers?” Ayatollah Khomeiny, the unifying force behind the anti-Shah uprising, has several times accused Ameri-can-backed elements of working against the revolutionary authorities. Ayatollah Khomeiny’s warning against seditionists reinforced impressions that he was concerned at the continuing political turmoil in Iran. The Justice Minister (Mr Assadollah Mobasheri) told the “Kayhan” newspaper on Thursday that the Ayatollah would soon announce a genera) amnesty “so that people can, with confidence in the future, be engaged in rebuilding the country ” Mr Mobasheri gave no details, but said, “People ; whose handr are tainted . with blood and torturers” would not be covered by the amnesty — apparently i meaning that arbitrary ar- ■ rests of anyone else associ- 1 ated with the Shah’s regime 1 would be halted. <