BBC Monitoring

Excerpt from report by Iranian conservative, privately-owned Fars News Agency website

Fars News, 1 December: Tabriz MP Akbar A'lami has delivered a speech about summoning Imam Husayn's [the third Shi'i imam] cabinet to the Majlis and criticizing it. Fars News Agency customers have reacted to his remarks which were made at a gathering of the reformists in Zanjan Province.

Speaking to the gathering of the reformists in Zanjan Province on Thursday [29 Nov], MP Akbar A'lami the Tabriz deputy in the Majlis, said "there is a single criterion for me. If even Imam Husayn comes back and sets up his own cabinet of ministers tomorrow, I will not be a blind follower and, based on my criterion and assessment, I will summon Imam Husayn's cabinet to the Majlis; because I have taken an oath to defend the nation's rights and its national resources."

[Passage omitted; the website carries more comments sent by its readers the majority of whom condemn the MP's remarks, but there are also a few messages in his support. Here are some of the readers' comments:!

"1- Mr A'lami, you are supposed to adjust yourself and your criteria with the imam rather than fine-tuning the imam to yourself. If there are situations where your criteria do not match Imam Husayn's, it proves that there are problems with you and your criteria.

2- Well done!

3- His... [brain] is shut down!

4- Speaking on the pulpits, the Lord of the Muslims [Ali; first Shi'i imam] regularly said: 'Criticize me!' A'lami's remarks are in line with the imam's believes.

5- When will Mr A'lami sharpen his knife for the Lord of the Age? [The 12th Shi'i imam; believed to reappear and establish justice across the world].

6- You are not the whole Majlis and you are not supposed to speak on half of all deputies."]

Source: Fars News Agency website, Tehran, in Persian 0814 gmt 1 Dec 07