First President

Banisadr's big mandate

Elected with an impressive 76% of the popular vote, a French-educated economist and political moderate last week became Iran's President-elect. Although Abolhassan Banisadr, 47, will not be sworn in until a national assembly is chosen next month, he is the first government official in the yearlong aftermath ot Iran's revolution to emerge with a decisive mandate for policymaking.

Two months ago, Banisadr, then acting Foreign Minister, stepped aside when his proposal for a compromise on the release of the American hostages was turned down by the Revolutionary Council. Thus his landslide victory over eight other candidates raised hopes in Washington that the new President has enough maneuvering room to find a solution to the crisis.

After his election, Banisadr warned that he would brook no interference to his authority either from clerical or secular groups in Iran; he specifically warned the militants holding the hostages that he would not tolerate a "parallel government " Under the circumstances, said a senior Western diplomat, "the students will sound ridiculous if they claim they represent the nation better than he does."

Banisadr has been one of the Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini's most trusted associates. Khomeini, who suffered a heart attack two weeks ago, called on all Iranians to support the President-elect. Observed a foreign ministry official:

"Khomeini has no time for revolutionary impetuosity any more and is delighted at the election of a President he trusts."

Soft-spoken and contemptuous of revolutionary theatrics, Banisadr favors a mixed economy. He wants to Banisadr raise the standard of living by government-sponsored agricultural development and decentralized small industries rather than the grandiose projects promoted by the former Shah. In foreign affairs, he regards the superpowers as equally evil and favors a policy of nonalignment.

Forging a stable government will be easy. Banisadr will have to contend not only with the embassy militants but also with businessmen opposed to his quasi-socialistic policies and with the ambitious mullahs, whose power appears to be on the wane. But his devotion to Islam appeals to a huge Muslim constituency, and his goal of an egalitarian society is attractive to the left. Above all, he clearly has the support of millions of Iranians who are just plain tired of revolutionary chaos.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.