Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=08/07/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-2-279050

TITLE=IRAN / POLITICS (S)

BYLINE=GREG LAMOTTE

DATELINE=CAIRO, EGYPT

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Iran's supreme leader has endorsed a proposed compromise to resolve a constitutional dispute between the parliament and judiciary. As VOA's Greg LaMotte reports, the end of the dispute clears the way for President Mohammad Khatami's inauguration to a second term in office.

TEXT: President Mohammad Khatami (Ha-ta-mee) will be sworn in Wednesday, three days later than scheduled.

Mr. Khatami was to have been sworn in Sunday but a dispute erupted between the reformist parliament and the conservative-led judiciary. The parliament had rejected the appointment of two conservatives selected by the judiciary to fill vacancies on the Guardian Council, a powerful non-elected body that approves laws passed by parliament.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Hom-may-nee) canceled Sunday's swearing in ceremony, saying the constitution requires all 12 members of the Guardian Council to be present at the ceremony. He then ordered the country's top arbitration body - the Expediency Council - to settle the dispute.

On Monday night, in what is widely viewed as a defeat for parliament, the Expediency Council issued a ruling that essentially said the parliament had to fill the Guardian Council vacancies with nominees selected by the judiciary.

On Tuesday, the parliament approved two candidates to fill the vacancies.

Neither candidate received a majority vote from parliament, but they were the two top vote-getters. (Signed)

NEB/GL/KL