Two senior foreign ministry officials in Iran have resigned from the Islamic Iran Partnership Party IIPP-- the new party established to support President Khatami.

Mohsen Aminzadeh and Mohammad Sadr, who were founding members of the IIPP, left after the Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, instructed his staff to choose between their office and membership of a political party.

Correspondents say that although such a law dates back to before the Islamic revolution in 1979, conservatives have begun to use the law in an attempt to reduce the influence of moderate politicians in the government.