FDI's Weekly Newswire

The life and [troubled] times of the IslamicRepublic of Iran

Available on the Internet or by e-mail for a $25 per yeartax-deductible contribution at http://www.iran.org/ Tel: 1+ (301)946-2910. Fax: 1+(310) 942-5341

FDI WEEKLY NEWSWIRE NO 20

Sept. 16, 1996

At a meeting of the Karaj Security Council, the Governor Generaldelivered a scathing evaluation of the Law Enforcement Forces. "TheTehran LEF have been unable to provide security for Tehran and itssuburbs. If this situation goes on, there will be no other solutionbut to ask the Revolutionary Guards Corps and the Bassij force toensure security in Tehran and its suburbs." [Iran 9/14]

The following day, Kayhan and Abrar published statements by theDeputy Commander of the Rev. Guards, Brigadier General Rahim Safavi,announcing a new round of military maneuvers to be held from Sept.21-24 near Karaj.

The maneuvers, code-named "Sarallah" (the Blood of God), were bepart of larger military exercises to be staged in more than a dozenIranian cities, Safavi said.

The Sarallah maneuvers were intended "to show the combatcapabilities of the Rev. Guards, to improve command and control, andto show the loyalty of the Rev. Guards to the political leadership ofthe Islamic Republic," Safavi said. Some 50,000 Rev. guards personnelwould take part in the Sarallah exercise, including units from theProtection and Intelligence Department.

This is the first time the Islamic Republic has announced theinclusion of Intelligence brigades in a maneuver aimed at controllingurban areas. [Abrar, Kayhan, 9/15]

Salam criticizes Rev. Guards leaders

In a lead editorial, Salam daily has criticized top commanders ofthe Revolutionary Guards Corps for seeking to play a "dominant role"in Iranian domestic politics.

Senior Rev. Guards commanders "believe they have a right tointerfere with the political affairs of the country. But we believethat this is against the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, andthat those commanders should understand that their behavior iscontrary to the Constitution."

The editorial appeared in the same issue as an interview with Rev.Guards Commander Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezai, during a two-day militaryexercise near Tabriz involving 40,000 Rev. Guards and Basijitroops.

Asked why he had become so involved in the Majlis elections,despite the Constitutional prohibition on political activity bymembers of the armed forces, Rezai replied: "At any time, if thefactional and political disputes get to a point that endanger theessence of revolution and the system of the Islamic Republic, therevolutionary forces including Hezbollah and Basij will feel obligedto defend the revolution." [Salam 9/14]

warns U.S. against military action

Rev. Guards commander Mohsen Rezai made more news last week, thistime by issuing a stern warning to the United States. The IslamicRepublic and the U.S. were locked into a "face-to-face struggle inthe Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucuses", he said.

Until now, however, "the United States has not succeeded in thestruggle against Iran," Rezai said. "If the U.S. wins, it wouldestablish its sovereignty in the region overnight, and U.S. troopswould be stationed up to the borders of Russia." [Tehran Times9/14]

The Tehran Times also quoted the deputy commander of the Rev.Guard Ground Forces for Intelligence and Operations, Brig. Gen. RahimEbrahimi, as warning the U.S. against any aggression against theIslamic Republic. Iranian military forces have been at a "red alert"since US defense Secretary Perry threatened to strike Iran in earlyAugust, he said, and all leave for military personnel has beencanceled.

Ebrahimi called on the United States to "obliterate from theirminds imagination of aggression against Iran." He said that Iran wasnot pursuing "any aggression or expansionist policies," but woulddefend itself against any U.S. attack.

Perry hinted at the possibility of a U.S. attack in the wake ofmounting evidence of an Iranian hand in the Dhahran bombing inJune.

Journalist alleges Mujahidin fought Iraqi Kurds

An Iranian exile journalist who writes for the Times of London hastold a California radio station that combat units from the People'sMujahidin Organization of Iran took part in recent fighting innorthern Iraq, that led to the defeat of the Iranian-backed PatrioticUnion of Kurdistan of Jalal Talabani.

Heymour Teymourian told the radio that PMOI combat units "haveactively taken part in operations against the PUK during the clashesin Erbil city." The PMOI involvement was confirmed by interviews withvictorious KDP fighters who took part in the assault on Erbil alongwith the Iraqi army. "Up to 50% of the Iraqi forces were actuallyfrom the PMOI," Teymourian said.

Other reports from the region suggest that Saddam Hussein isrelying increasingly on the PMOI to handle sensitive securitypositions, such as border posts between Iraq and Jordan, since he hascome to distrust native Iraqi troops. [Radio Sedaye Iran9/14]

says "brainwash them"

Following the announcement of the Islamic Republic's new "Charterfor the Cultivation of Youth" (see "Breeding the new "Islamic"generations," in last week's Newswire), Supreme Leader Ayatollah AliKhamene'i stressed the importance of introducing revolutionary valuesat high schools throughout Iran.

"Character and personality are mostly forged during adolescence.Therefore disseminating Islamic values and introducing the objectivesof the Islamic revolution at educational centers including highschools is quite necessary," Khamene'i said.

The aim of the charter is "safeguard our Islamic society from thecultural assault of world arrogance," he added.

Khamene'i was speaking to central committee members of the Unionof Islamic Student's Societies. Also present was the Leader'srepresentative to the Union, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, a guidingfigure behind Ansar-e Hezbollah.

If Iran's young people do not endorse the regime's ideas,Khamene'i said, "the enemies will penetrate our youth andindoctrinate them with subversive ideas."

Only a few days before the beginning of the new academic year,Khamene'i asked for tight control of the political activities ofstudents. "Although students should participate in politics andfamiliarize themselves with current political issues, all suchactivities should be conducted within the framework of Islamicbeliefs and principles." he said. [Ettelaat, 9/4]

Rafsanjani's African safari

The official visit of President Rafsanjani to six Africancountries, heralded as "historic" by the official Tehran press, endedon Sept. 15 without any major achievement or immediate results.

Rafsanjani was accompanied by a 300-person entourage that includedhis wife, his daughter Faezeh Hashemi (newly elected to the 5thMajlis), Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Akbar Velayati, and scoresof military, intelligence, business and Iranian media figures.

During the tour of Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe andSouth Africa, Rafsanjani repeatedly announced that the IslamicRepublic will soon export "a new Islamic civilization" to Africa toreplace "colonial order established by colonial countries to plunderAfrica's wealth and deprive Africans of many aspects ofcivilization."

In Kenya, Rafsanjani noted that "Developing nations are unhappywith the application of the human rights issue by certainindustrialized countries in their dealing with other nations."

He accused the United Nations of "playing into the hands of thesame industrialized states," by bringing pressure on "the Third Worldand Non-Aligned Movement to serve the political motives of the rulingworld powers."

The UN needed "radical changes" aimed at modifying its structure,Rafsanjani said - a charge shared by many Congressional Republicansin the United States. However, for Rafsanjani the UN's problem is notfraud and mismanagement, but a mistaken notion of human rights. Areformed UN should "offer a plausible definition of human rightswithin the context of the religious and social traditions ofindividual societies," a reference not only to the Islamic Republic,but apparently a sop to African leaders who have been angered byWestern criticism of the practice of female "circumcision," orgenital mutilation. [Ettelaat International, 9/4].

In Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, Rafsanjani trumpetedthat "Westerners were behind the backwardness of Africa." Then hemade his pitch: "Iran's rich experiences in the fields of economy,technology and trade could help African countries to reduce theirdependence on foreigners."

One of the highlights of the trip was Rafsanjani's claim haveconvinced Uganda to stop providing safe haven to Sudanese Christianswho oppose the regime of strongman General Omar Hassan Al-Bashir. Ifsuccessful, the main result of Rafsanjani's efforts could be furthermassacres of Sudanese Christians.

The other highlight was his visit to South Africa, marked by thefailure of the South African Parliament to receive him, and failureto finalize a long-awaited oil storage deal.

Under the deal, opposed by U.S., the Islamic Republic was to storeup to 45 million barrels at Salanha Bay, north of Cape Town, to takeadvantage of the swings of the spot market.

The official reason for the "delay" in signing of the agreement,was that an environmental impact study was not completed, and "Is notexpected to be completed much before the end of the year." as Reuterreported from Johannesburg on Sept. 11. [Tehran Times, Sept.4-11, Ettelaat International Sept. 5-11, Kayhan 9/15]

No King in Kabul, Please!

The Islamic Republic has rejected the idea of the return of formerAfghan King, Mohammad Zaher Shah to his country, to help create agovernment of National Unity.

Morteza Sarmadi, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Communication,said in a press conference in Kabul on Sept. 3 that "peace overturesby foreigners cannot solve the Afghan crisis."

Sarmadi (who also happens to be a "foreigner" in Afghanistan),criticized the U.S. for allegedly attempting to restore deposedAfghan King, Zaher Shah.

When asked why he was in Afghanistan, Sarmadi retorted that "theIslamic Republic of Iran has never tried to dictate to Afghan groupsbut favors a joint agreement among all Afghan parties."

"Iran is trying to ease tension and crisis in Afghanistan," hesaid, but "there are no commonalties between Washington and Kabul."[Tehran Times 9/4]

The idea of a return by the exiled King Zaher Shah to Afghanistanreceived international attention last month when U.S. U.S. RepublicanCongressman Dana Rohrbacher broached the idea during a visit toPakistan.

AFP report from Islamabad on August 30 that Pakistan said it wasnot averse to the idea of Zaher Shah returning to Afghanistan if itwould bring peace to the war-torn country.

The Islamic Republic is opposed to the return of the former King,and has reacted angrily any time the idea is broached - perhapsfearing contagious monarchist sentiments in Iran.

Zaher Shah was overthrown by his cousin Daud Khan in 1973, andsince then has been living in exile in Rome.

Basiji attack in public garden

Hezbollahis gathering in a Tehran mosque suddenly spilled overinto a nearby public garden, creating panic among strollers taking abreak from the hot Tehran summer.

People fled the park as the Hezbollahis shouted anti-Westernslogans and threatened "anti-revolutionaries" with sticks and clubs,Resalat reported. In fact, the attack was part of a "cultural plan"by the Basijis, the daily said. Resalat is close to Supreme LeaderAli Khamene'i.

"Members of the Basij base in Mahdieh Mosque decided to countersocial corruption and drug dealers in the garden, to promote andspread Islamic culture," the paper said. "Following their action,they held public prayers in the garden, an act that was praised bythe people." [Resalat, 9/1]

Writers group attacked

On Monday evening, Sept. 9, a meeting of members of the IranianUnion of Writers was raided by agents of the Ministry of Informationand Security and 13 writers arrested, according to the oppositionIran Nation's Party.

The arrested writers were taken to a safe house at the TehranInternational Fair grounds and were interrogated all night. They werewarned not to organize "counter-revolutionary activities," includingany meetings of their group, and were released the followingmorning.

Among those arrested were: Mrs. Simin Behbahani, Ms. MehrangizKar, Ms. Roshanak Kar, Mr. Massoud Behnoud, Mr. Reza Barahni, Mr.Shahrokh Touiserkani, Mr. Massoud Toufan, and Mr. Ahmad Shamlou.[INP statement 9/13]

Dispute widens on Rafsanjani third term

The political question of the day in Tehran is: "Will he, or won'the."

He, of course, is President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani. And whateveryone is wondering is whether he will request a change in theConstitution, to allow him to run for a third term.

While Rafsanjani has publicly pooh-poohed the idea, supportershave been floating it for well over a year - and almost always, suchsuggestions are met with fierce criticism.

Last week the Union of Islamic Students of Iranian Universitiesjointed those condemning a Rafsanjani third term, calling any changein the Constitution to allow it "illegal."

"The Islamic forces, while respecting the effectiveness ofPresident Rafsanjani's moves over the past eight years, believe thata new president should be elected and that Rafsanjani should continuehis work in another position," a statement issued by the studentUnion on Sept. 12 said. [Kayhan 9/12]

Seeing the furious reactions to this latest trial balloon, VicePresident Hassan Rouhani issued a statement intended to calm thewaters. "The problem regarding the possibility of a third term forHojjat-ol eslam Rafsanjani is not the limits imposed by theConstitution of the Islamic Republic, but his own intention not toseek a third term. President Rafsanjani does not want to be electedfor a third term," he said. [Jomhouri-Eslami, 9/15]

We will be reporting more on a Rafsanjani third term in the comingweeks.

Judge kidnapped by opposition group

Iran daily says that a judge was kidnapped last week "in asouthern city," allegedly by drug smugglers who are demanding the"immediate release" of an unidentified prisoner. [IRAN DAILY9/16]

FDI sources in Iran say the judge was kidnapped in the PersianGulf city of Busheir, where Russia is currently completing a nuclearpower plant, and is being held prisoner by a local tribal leader.

Tribal opposition to the regime is rarely reported on in theofficial press, and has never attracted the attention of theinternational media. Nevertheless, there have been ongoing low-levelinsurgencies along Iran's border with Pakistan, in the provinces ofWest Azerbaijan and Kurdistan, and in the southwest for manyyears.

Last week we reported that security forces claimed to have killed"the most notorious thug" of Balouchistan in an armed clash.Identified by the official media as Hassan Shahli Boro, AKA"Hasanak," Balouchi sources tell FDI that he was well-known inBalouchistan as a leader of the Shahli-Bor tribe, and "has becomelegendary for his hit and run operations" against the centralgovernment. [FDI]

New facilities for foreign investment

Increasingly worried that the U.S. sanctions will shrink foreigninvestment in Iran, the Islamic Republic last week announced newmeasures intended to attract foreign capital.

According to Ettelaat, the Council of Ministers has approvedproposals offered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance aspart of the Law for the Attraction and Protection of ForeignInvestments, enacted in the Iranian calendar year (1995-1996).

The measures include the ability to import machinery, equipmentand raw materials "as part of the investment contribution of foreigninvestors," fewer restrictions on the re-export of capital generatedby joint venture companies, and a six-year moratorium on income taxesfor most new foreign investments.

Nevertheless, the Cabinet failed to address the main barriers toforeign investment in Iran: complex and contradictory regulations,the lack of a clear Law governing foreign investment, the chronicfear of investors that any changes taken today to attract investmentwill be rescinded tomorrow by radical Majlis members. [EttelaatInternational, Sept. 12]

Tehran signs test ban treaty

Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has announced thatTehran has dropped its earlier objections to the Comprehensive TestBan Treaty, and will sign the treaty, joining an overwhelmingmajority of UN member states.

The objections of the Islamic Republic had ranged it on the sideof India, which exploded a "peaceful" nuclear device in 1974, andaroused suspicions as to Tehran's nuclear intentions.

Zarif said his government considered the treaty "incomplete" and"imposed", since it still gives the five nuclear weapons the abilityto improve their nuclear arsenals.

He compared the Treaty's text with an alternative text presentedby Islamic Republic, but said his government was finally presentedthe choice of "signing an incomplete treaty or rejecting it. So atlast we decided to sign it," Zarif said. [Ettelaat International,9/12]

New Anti-Corruption Ministry planned

In May, Hojjat-ol Eslam Zargar, the head of the notoriousAnti-Corruption Organization, addressed the First General Assembly ofHezbollah groups in Tehran, calling for greater power to impose"Islamic values" and fight against "foreign cultural assault," as wereported in our May 13 Newswire.

Now it appears that Zargar will get his wish - in spades.

According to Iran daily, the 5th Majlis is contemplating a plan tocreate a new government ministry, to be called "The Anti-CorruptionMinistry (Amr- e Be Maarouf Nahi Az Moukar, literally, the Ministryfor Decreeing Virtue and Forbidding Vice).

A Deputy from Qom, Hashemi, said the creation of the new ministrywas "likely," adding: "If this plan is voted, and the (Hezbollahi)forces get restructured accordingly, we will see a deep and decisivechange in the ability of our Islamic society to counter the enemy'scultural assault."

The idea of creating a new "Big Brother" Ministry comes at a timewhen the regime is trying to merge at least four other ministries inorder to cut government spending. [Iran, 9/4].

FDI's Weekly Newswire

FDI WEEKLY NEWSWIRE NO 20

Sept. 16, 1996

CONTENTS: