Bani-Sadr to pick P.M.

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 6

Bani-Sadr to pick P.M.

NZPA-Reuter Teheran Ayatollah Khomeiny has given President Abolhassan j Bani-Sadr the green light to [appoint a Prime Minister before Iran’s future Parliament convenes in an effort to bring more stability to the country. The unexpected move came in reply to' a letter from the president, who said; a more stable government’ was necessary to confront] plots against the Islamic revolution. Political sources said the Ayatollah’s decision would reinforce Mr BaniSadr’s sagging authority. But in another statement about the second round of parliamentary elections teday, Ayatollah Khomeiny

'seemed to tilt against the 'president by telling voters [to elect hard-line Islamic [candidates. | Urging Iranians to “stand |up and rush to the ballot 'boxes,” he said in a message • broadcast repeatedly on State radio: “I ask the i people to elect people who I are against the deviated [ideologies and believe in the Islamic republic.” ■ President Bani-Sadr has i appealed for the election for a pluralistic parliament in which radical minorities wouid be represented. But the Ayatollah’s call seemed more likely to favour the many Muslim clergymen standing for election on the Islamic Republican Party ticket.

There was no immediate indication of who Mr BaniSadr would choose as prime minister, but political sources said those under consideration included the former naval commander. Admiral Ahmad Madani, and the Planning and Budget chief Dr Ezzatollah Sahabi.

i Admiral Madani, the runi ner-up to Mr Bani-Sadr in last January’s presidential poll, emerged as a surprise possibility after he had an unexpected meeting with Ayatollah Khomeiny.

He ran a conservative law-and-order campaign for the presidency, winning mainly middle-class,, support, and has a reputation as a tough administrator with little sympathy for the I.R.P.