Summons for leader?

Press, 3 June 1981, Page 8

Summons for leader?

NZPA-Reuter Teheran The Iranian President (Mr Abolhassan Bani-Sadr) faces The-possibility of being summoned to answer charges that he violated the Constitution and orders from the revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny. A three-man commission of Muslim clergymen has ruled that Mr Bani-Sadr had broken guidelines set by Ayatollah Khomeiny in March in a bid to calm the fued between the president and his political opponents. The commission did not recommend 'any specific action, but sources at Mr BaniSadr’s office said he could be summoned before the Pro-secutor-General,. The ruling came after a week of sharp criticism of the president, who has been locked in a power struggle with the Islamic Government and judiciary. The commission, set up by

Ayatollah Khomeiny under a 10-point reconciliation plan, rebuked Mr Bani-Sadr for continuing his polemics in speeches and news conferences. “We have to inform the nation that unfortunately the •' president has violated the 10point statement of the Imam (Ayatollah Khomeiny) and the Constitution,” it said. The commission singled -out Mr Bani-Sadr’s refusal to sign, a bill empowering the Government to appoint heads to vacant Ministries. Under the .constitution, the presi-dent-is obliged to sign into force-all bills passed by the legislature. z : , It also recommended action by the prosecutor's office against the president's newspaper, “Islamic Revolu- , tion,” and the liberal daily ' “Mizan.” Since Ayatollah Khomeiny's peace plan, which • banned speeches by top offi-

cials. "Islamic Revolution” has been his main platform for accusing the Government of incompetence and overstepping its rights. The president also faces judicial investigation into his role at a rally on March 5 where he is reported to have asked supporters to turn on Islamic fundamentalists who tried to break up the 100,000strong meeting. The commission cleared the president’s opponents of any wrong-doing, giving a boost to his chief rival, the Prime Minister (Mr Mohammad Ali Rajai). Representatives of Ayatollah Khomeiny and Mr BaniSadr are on the commission. The third member defends the interest of the Government, judiciary and Parliament. All three institutions are dominated by supporters of the Muslim fundamentalist Islamic Republican Party.