Prodi's Call to Continue Critical Dialogue is Against Iranian People's Interests, Iran Zamin News Agency, July 17 

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, on Wednesday, in a statement criticized Italian Prime Minister for his remarks in regard to pursuing critical dialogue with Iran.

The statement in parts said: "The call yesterday by the Italian Prime Minister to continue critical dialogue with the mullahs' dictatorship contradicts the April 29 decisions of the European Union and the National Council of Resistance believes it to be against the highest interests of the people of Iran.

"Mr. Prodi's remarks also run counter to the general consensus of the people of Italy and come only two weeks after the majority of the representatives in the Italian Parliament wrote to the Prime Minister, urging him to adopt a firm policy towards the Khomeini regime and declare support for the Iranian Resistance and its President-elect.

"The Italian deputies in their declaration described critical dialogue as a 'failure and an unacceptable policy, ... the continuation of which invites the mullahs to continue suppression and export terrorism' and therefore 'must be abandoned all together.'..."

Futile Attempts to Win People's Trust in Stagnant Economy, Reuter, July 16

TEHRAN - Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday called for stepping up the fight against corruption and influence peddling, rejecting suggestions that tough action might discourage investors…

The anti-corruption drive has also taken a political turn with hard-line and conservative Islamic newspapers and parliament deputies calling for probes against officials close to outgoing President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and president-elect Mohammad Khatami.

The calls come at a time when state economic officials are seeking to encourage investment, including much needed foreign capital.

Iranians have traditionally tended to invest in real estate or sought quick gains by dealing in gold or foreign currencies instead of investing in the stock market or industry.

Analysts say this reflects investors' concerns about a complicated tax system and other regulations which are sometimes applied arbitrarily.

Iranian Resistance Discloses Names of 25 Terrorists in Italy, Iran Zamin News Agency, July 16 

Ms. Mitra Baqeri, representative of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Italy, in an interview with Italian daily Korier Del Omberya revealed the names of regime's 25 terrorists in Italy. She also disclosed the terrorist background of a number of regime's most important diplomats in Italy.

She also mentioned that: "After a Berlin court implicated regime's top leaders in the Mykonos case, Germany is no longer a safe heaven for regime's terrorists. Thus, the mullahs' regime has chosen Italy for rebuilding its terrorism networks in Europe."

Among the 25 terrorist are Mohammad Nourani, regime's cultural attaché in Italy, and Sayed Mehdi Mohebbi, second deputy to regime's ambassador to Vatican and an Information Ministry cadre, as well as Mohammad Baqer Hosseini, cultural director of the regime's embassy in Rome and a Revolutionary Guards member.

Rafsanjani Reveals Expansionist Intentions in Third World Countries, Iran Zamin News Agency, July 16

Rafsanjani, the regime's outgoing president, has stressed that export of fundamentalism is a goal of regime's foreign policy in third world countries.

In a gathering to discuss the "Practical Ways for Development and Cooperation with African countries," Rafsanjani emphasized on what he described as the regime's "extranational and global visions and strategies," in the realm of foreign policy.

Significant Increase Number of Female Prisoners, Iran Zamin News Agency, July 14

According to the reports received from Iran, the number of female prisoners in Tehran's notorious Evin prison has substantially increased.

A prisoner recently released from Evin reports that the female prisoners are under the most barbaric forms of torture by the mullahs and the guards in prison.

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