KHATAMI PREPARES TO SACK DEFENSE MINISTER

NICOSIA [MENL] -- Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, who won a landslidevictory last month, plans to replace his defense minister despite oppositionfrom the ruling Islamic clergy. Sources close to Khatami said the president will fire Defense MinisterAli Shamkhani in a wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle that will include thereplacement of the foreign minister, oil minister and several economicministers. Khatami won 77 percent of the vote in elections held on June 8.