Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

Clergy dominate Iranian poll

NZPA-Reuter Teheran Iran's unofficial Head of State, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny, has advised voters to ignore candidates with Left or Right-wing leanings in the election for a council of constitutional examiners tomorrow. In a statement reported by the Voice of the Islamic Republic radio, Iran’s unofficial Head of State urged the people to elect experts in Islamic law and believers in Islam to the 75-man body. An estimated 80/ per cent of the candidates belong to

the clergy or have their backing. The council of examiners will have one month in which to approve the new constitution, a draft of which was published in June. The final version will be put to a popular referendum in September.

The National Front leader, Karim Sanjabi, who resigned as Foreign Minister in April, has meanwhile launched a thinly-veiled attack on the religious candidates. The official P.A.R.S. news agency quoted him as saying no sector of society, however respected by the people, had the right to a monopoly of power.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19790802.2.72.6

Bibliographic details

Press, 2 August 1979, Page 6

Word Count
169

Clergy dominate Iranian poll Press, 2 August 1979, Page 6

Clergy dominate Iranian poll Press, 2 August 1979, Page 6