KARBASCHI OUT OF PRISON TO SALVAGE RAFSANJANI'S CAMPAIGN
By Safa Haeri, IPS Editor
TEHRAN 25TH Jan. ((IPS) Former Mayor of Tehran Qomareza Karbaschi was freed from prison Tuesday to co-ordinate the electoral campaign of ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani that is running into serious troubles.
Jailed in July 1998 on charges of corruption, embezzlement of public fonds, mismanagement and abuse of power, the powerful Mayor was condemned to two years of imprisonment and 10 years of suspension from public activities.
His was released on pardon granted from ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the lamed leader of the Islamic Republic obtained on personal demand presented to him by the Chairman of the Council of Discernment of the State's Interests (CDSI).
A moderate, Mr. Karbaschi played an important role in the victory of hojatoleslam Mohammad Khatami in the president elections of May 1997.
However, most analysts agreed that the fact that Mr. Karbaschi had recovered his freedom on pardon from the leader and on request from Mr. Rafsanjani, both of them very unpopular among the great majority of the voters, he may not be able to satisfy Mr. Rafsanjani's electoral demands.
Some sources said Mr. Karbaschi did not asked for pardon, but he had presented the leader a letter in which he would complain over his unfair trial, demanding justice.
"Moreover, Mr. Karbaschi has already made himself a bad propaganda when, while in jail, he advised the Servant of Reconstruction to enter joint lists with the conservatives during the elections for the Assembly of Experts, hurting badly the reformist candidates", observed Mr. Ahmad Zeidabadi, a journalist in Tehran.
Mr. Karbaschi was the general secretary of the Servant of Reconstruction Party (SRP), a formation that has Mr. Rafsanjani as it's "spiritual leader".
The Second of Khordad (23 May) front, a loose coalition of a dozen of political parties, trade unions, students associations, leftist organisations, both cleric and civilian etc is split over the issue of listing Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani as one of reformist candidates.
"Not being sure of the outcome, Mr. Rafsanjani, already badly jolted by critics and the press, is pinning his hopes on Mr. Karbaschi and the capabilities of the former Mayor to reconcile the SRP with the conservatives, as some top executive of the SRP, including his own daughter, Fa'ezeh, are strongly against any joint list with the conservatives", Mr. Zeidabadi told the Persian service of the BBC.
Others said the role played by Mr. Karbaschi in the victory of Mr. Khatami in the president elections had been exaggerated. "Mr. Karbaschi has not the same charisma nor the executive powers he used to have when he was the all powerful Mayor of Tehran. At the same time, by calling on the services of mr. Karbaschi, Mr. Rafsanjani has also demonstrated his own weakness", another analyst pointed out.
Mr. Sa'id Leylaz, a journalist close to Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani says the presence of Mr. Karbaschi in electoral head quarters would have a positive impact for the reformists since he could play an important role in reconciling the dovom khordadi (second khordadi=pro Khatami reformists) with the servants. KARBASCHI FREED 25100