In meeting with Khatami and his cabinet
- Khamenei demanded that political murders' file be closed
- Khatami: We are defenders of Khomeini's legacy and implement Khamenei's views

In a meeting with the clerical regime's President Mohammad Khatami and his cabinet members yesterday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei demanded that the "political murders" file be closed for good and dismissed the serial murders as "a peripheral issue."

"Is it really the case that our country's main problem is a few murders? We have an Intelligence Ministry and officials who can work together and solve this matter," Khamenei told the cabinet.

Khatami, for his turn, emphasized that "we are the defenders of the great legacy that (Khomeini) left in history and I hope that we can protect this legacy faithfully."

Khatami and members of his cabinet paid a visit to Khamenei at his official residence. Khatami said in the meeting that if in previous administrations, Khamenei's views would only be "attached" to the government's plans and policies, in his administration and particularly in his government's Third Five-year Plan, the policies pronounced by Khamenei "have become the cornerstone and foundation of the plan" and "the macro policies and views of the Leader form the basis of our work."

Khamenei reminded the cabinet that "of the normal four-year term of a cabinet, two years have already passed." He scolded Khatami and pointed out that despite the fact that "Mr. President has personally spoken about economic recovery and has made promises about it," his cabinet "has ignored the most important issue, which is the economy."

Khamenei also emphasized that the aggravating power struggle within the regime "will serve no one but the enemy's interests" and warned the clerical regime's officials that "the smart and wise enemy" will "make use of this opportunity instantaneously."

Yesterday's meeting between Khamenei and the mullahs' President and his cabinet and the remarks made by each side clearly indicate the unquestionable loyalty of Khatami and his faction to the mullahs' Supreme Leader and the hollow nature of their rhetoric concerning the "rule of law" and "civil society." The meeting and the clerical leaders' remarks also showed the weakness and strife that beset the entire regime and the sharp decline in Khatami's stature in the balance of power within the clerical regime, especially after the courageous uprising of the people of Tehran and other cities across the country.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
August 25, 1999

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