TEHRAN An open trial of Tehran Mayor Ghulamhussein Karbaschi will start in the Imam Khomeini Special Complex, central Tehran from June 7, an informed source said yesterday. The source talking to the TEHRAN TIMES said, investigations of embezzlement and mismanagement charges have been completed and the concerned court is ready to start trial at 9 in the morning of June 7.

He (the mayor) will not be the only one, but few others from his deputies will also stand trial, he said. Persian daily Farda (Tomorrow) carried a story yesterday saying the mayor will be tried in the second week of June. Karbaschi talking briefly to the TEHRAN TIMES Monday denied the report that he has been barred from leaving the country.

The Tehran mayor was planning to visit several countries on official missions but the trips were cancelled due to the ban imposed on his leaving the country, the daily Farda reported. Karbaschi was detained on April 4 and remained for 11 nights in Evin Prison. His arrest sparked a political controversy that heavily occupied Tehran's social life and media coverage. The mayor was originally detained for one month but because of the intervention of Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei he was released in just 12 days.