IRAN - Dec. 16 - Traditionalists Step Up Attacks On Reformists.

Tehran's press court imposes a 26-month jail sentence on Mohammad Salamati, deputy labour minister and secretary-general of the Islamic Revolution Mojahedin Organisation (Irmo). The court also bans the party's weekly Asr-e Ma, or "Our Era". Both cases went to appeal. Deputy Majlis' speaker Mohsen Armin, who is also a chief editor of Asr-e Ma, said the existence of the reformist movement was under threat. He said traditionalist theologians on the powerful Council of Guardians were using their powers of veto to block virtually all moves by the Majlis. Earlier in December, the Guardians also blocked, for the second time, the first law on foreign investment for nearly half a century. Irmo, held in deep suspicion by traditionalists for its pre-revolutionary links with since-outlawed communist groups, called on Pres. Khatami's pro-reform coalition to abandon its policy known as "active calm" and adopt "active deterrence" instead. This is seen as a call for a national referendum on the divisions of powers, heavily weighted in favour of non-elected institutions controlled by traditionalists, such as the judiciary and the Council of Guardians. Last week, an appeals court imposed a 7-month jail sentence on Mohammad Dadfar, a prominent pro-reform member of parliament for a speech he made attacking the courts. On Dec. 17, newspapers reported that Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, Khatami's cabinet secretary and former governor of Kurdestan, was given a six-month jail sentence for his criticism of the annulment by the Council of Guardians of elections in his province in 2000. The unrelenting attacks by traditionalists on figures close to Khatami, including court cases against the oil minister and governor of the Central Bank, raised questions about the role of Supreme Leader Ayat. Khamen'i.