Four members of the European Parliament issued a press release announcing that 250 MEPs call on European Union to adopt decisive policies towards the mullahs' regime and support the Iranian Resistance and its President-elect Maryam Rajavi. The following is excerpts from the MEPs press release:

"250 Members of the European Parliament have signed a statement calling on the European Union to adopt firm policies in dealing with the Iranian regime and to support the Iranian opposition….

"The statement refers to… human rights violations and urges an end to the export of terror which has been responsible for the death of six more Iranians living abroad since the accession of President Khatami….

"They express support for the opposition to the regime and recognize in the statement that Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has become a 'symbol of national unity' which will 'contribute to the establishment of democracy in Iran and peace and stability in the region.'

"In their accompanying letter the signatories state: 'Nearly five months after presidential elections in Iran, developments inside the country and the Iranian leaders' public statements and policies have shown quite clearly that the new government is in reality no different from its predecessors. It still essentially advocates the same policies: repression inside Iran and the export of crisis and violation of international law abroad.'"

Power Struggle Catching Up with Mullahs' Supreme Leader, Iran Zamin News Agency, October 23 

The first time in the past 19 years, one of the factions of the mullahs' regime issued a call against Khamenei and demanded that the Constitution be revised to impose restrictions on the powers of the Vali-e Faqih, the mullahs' supreme leader.

"The remarks were made by the leader of the Students' Islamic Union, one of the regime's organs of suppression, following a demonstration by members of this group in front of the Tehran University. This development reflects another round of escalation in the mullahs' internal feuding, which has taken on unprecedented dimensions especially after the regime's presidential elections farce which led to a three-man leadership," a statement by NCR said on Thursday.

The increasing rivalry among the regime's factions which has now extended to Khamenei himself, bespeaks of the disintegration of the regime, as Rafsanjani had warned two months ago.

U.S. Opposes Any Pipeline through Iran, Associated Press, October 23 

WASHINGTON - The U.S. opposes any new pipelines through Iran carrying oil and gas to Western markets, a senior Clinton administration official said Thursday.

Stuart Eizenstat, undersecretary of state for business and economic affairs, said the government would continue to encourage Turkey and countries on the energy-rich Caspian Sea in central Asia to explore alternative routes….

Testifying before a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee, Eizenstat said if the U.S. "finds evidence of investment activity which could enhance Iran's ability to develop its own petroleum resources, we will take appropriate action" under the act….

"Let me be clear. We do not support any pipelines through Iran, carrying either Iranian oil and gas to Western markets or that of any other country," he said….

U.S. Still May Punish Total Over Iranian Deal, Agence France Presse, October 23

WASHINGTON - The United States has not ruled out imposing sanctions against French oil company Total and four other foreign firms in relation to energy deals with Iran, a senior administration official said Thursday.

A team of State Department experts is in Paris "investigating with alacrity ... to determine the facts ... and to determine whether or not this is sanctionable activity," Stuart Eizenstat, Undersecretary of State for economic affairs, said….

"This is no time for business as usual (with Iran)," said Eizenstat. "We have not agreed in any way, shape or form to defer sanctions."…

"For French leaders to applaud the contract between Total and Iran, a nation accused of international terrorism, is "horrendous," D'Amato said.

D'Amato plans to hold a hearing on October 30 on a planned launch of a Gazprom bond offering on US financial markets….

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