Bazargan asks to leave key Iran post

          
          Bazargan asks to leave key Iran post
          The Sss ( 1837- 1 985); Sep 1, 1979; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Baltimore Ssa, The (1t37-198e
          p . A2
          Bazargan
          as to leave
          key Iran post
          Tehran. ISAI l—Pr ime Minister
          Mebdi Bazargan asked to be relieved of
          his duti erday and called on the pee-
          pie of us a midnight television ad-
          dress to ask Ayatollah Rubollah Khomeini
          totake the reins of government.
          “ I have tendered my resignation a long
          time ago. I would be pleased tobe relieved
          of my post so that I can go borne to relax
          and give others the chance to come and
          tfle over. the government,” Mr. Baz.argan
          said in his hour-long nationwide telecast.
          ‘1 plead to the people to request Aya.
          toflab Khomeini to come to ‘Yehran and
          takeover the responsibilities of the affairs
          of the country.” said the 72-year-old for-
          mer university professor, who has been
          sharply criticized recently (or the Woody
          fighting in the northern province of Kur-
          distan.
          Spiritual leader Khomeini, 19, estah-
          lisbed his base in the holy city of Qom, 100
          miles south bE the capital, after he in-
          spired the islamic uprising that over-
          tuned the monarchy of Shah Mohamznad
          Reza Pahlavi in February. Ayatollah
          Khomeini appointed Mr. Bazargan tobead
          a provisional revolutionary regime, but he
          and his Muslim clerical supporters retain
          ñpremeantbority.
          “Even religIous preachers and
          jspeakersl in funeral orations for revolu-
          tionary guards (who died fiflting in Kur-
          dlstanj seem to have no other subject but
          to criticize the government for fumbling
          and lack of decisiveness,” Mr. Bazargan
          said.
          Looking depressed and lacking his
          Usual buoyant style, he said:
          ‘i,Inlortunately, everyone in the country is
          not aware of the fact that we have a war
          cabinet which holds regular sessions on
          Kurdintan. ‘the government is watching
          events carefully there. But the fact is the
          government has been a knife with no
          blade.”
          Kurdistan's 4 million Kurdish inhabi
          tants have been demanding home rule for
          the province. Insurgents have clashed re-
          peatedly with government force since
          March, leaving hundreds dead on both
          sides and towns and villages partially de-
          stroyedby the fighting.
          “True, we have an Army, regular and
          state police. Not only were their arms
          taken away but many groups even or
          posed their existence right from the outset
          of the revolution. To add to the flames of
          criticism, newspapers and television,
          which operates with government funds,
          attack and criticize the government,” Mr.
          Bazargansaid.
          lie added that if be remained silent
          against the criticism, “it would he consid-
          ered as accepting it.”
          Referring to charges by Ayatollah
          Khomeini that his government has not
          been revolutionary enough, Mr. Bazargan
          said: “We have not acted in a revolu-
          tionary way.. - But if acting in a revolu-
          tionary manner means going against all
          international standards and disregard of
          laws, I accept the accusation.”
          Mr. Bazargan concluded that he and his
          colleagues in the government “are not
          trying to hold on to our positions-”
          The Kurds have told Ayatollah
          Khomeini and the government that
          “Kurdistan will he your graveyard if you
          continue to brutally suppress the aspira-
          tiouso(theKstdistuussses.”
          Ayatollah Khomeini ordered the rebel-
          lion crushed and said if the Kurds obeyed
          his commands, they would be immune
          from revenge and persecution.
          Mr. Bazargan was chosen hy Ayatollah
          Khomeini to restore order in Kurdistas,
          but Mr. Bazurgan's government has re-
          peatedly been undermined by Ayatollah
          Khomeini and his appointed Islamic revo-
          lutionary committees.
          Earlier yesterday, Ayatollah Khomeini
          accused the Kurdish rebels of seeking to
          create a “heathen Communist state,” and
          another influential cleric warned that if
          armed resistance continued “we shall
          eliminate them no matter what the cost”
          The outlawed Kurdish Democratic
          party accused Ayatollah Khomeini of or-
          deringthe massacre of Innocent Kurds.
          Despite the strongly worded state-
          ments, both sides appeared determined to
          avoid a major military confrontation. A
          Kurdish goodwill delegation remained in
          the Iranian capItal, and the government
          and rebel forces exchanged prisoners.
          The official news agency Pars said 64
          government soldiers were released by the
          rebel command in the Kurdish stronghold
          of Mahabad, and 36 revolutionary guards
          and a like number of rebels were ex
          changed in the Knzt}ish town 01 Paven,
          Sporadic clashes have been reported in
          recent days in the Kurdish region, but both
          sides have indicated the situation has re-
          mainS generally calm with an unofficial
          cease-fire holding for the fifth straight
          day around Mahabad, where the govern-
          ment has stationed a large force,
          Reprodsced with permissios of the oapprighl awoer. Farther repradaclioo prohibited withoal permissioo.