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Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, described yesterday's remarks by Khamenei assailing pro-Khatami press as an indication of the gravity of the regime's internal situation. Khamenei said: "Any action which would undermine the foundations of the state in people's minds is a conspiracy, treason and attempt to overthrow."
Mr. Rajavi said: This week, eight cabinet ministers have been summoned to the Majlis to answer questions by the deputies. Two ministers face the prospects of being impeached and the head of the Budget and Planning Organization said the economy was bankrupted. These developments show the dimensions of the crisis which will inevitably lead to the overthrow of the mullahs' regime in its entirety.
The NCR President added: Several days ago, Rafsanjani described the Assembly of Experts as the regime's "most pivotal institution" and the vali-e faqih (Supreme Leader) "as the pillar which upholds the state." He also declared full-fledged support for Khamenei on the eve of the elections for the Assembly of Experts. This indicates that Khamenei and Rafsanjani are both terrified of the regime's overthrow and have thus struck a deal to confront Khatami's faction in order to preserve the regime's existence. If their plans are not disrupted, Rafsanjani will head the Assembly of Experts and solidify his position as the clerical regime's no. 2 man. Khamenei's reliance on Rafsanjani's support prompted him to eliminate virtually all of pro-Khatami candidates.
European Parliament Adopts Resolution Condemning Violations of Human Rights under Khatami, Iran Zamin News Agency, October 8
In its session today in Strasbourg, the European Parliament issued a resolution condemning the rising number of executions, deaths under torture, and the execution of religious minorities in Iran during the tenure of Mohammad Khatami, the mullahs' President. The EP expressed concern that the Iranian regime "has not allowed the UN Special representative to visit the country."
The EP resolution expressed concern over "the continuing cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments and deaths under torture as in the case of Mr. Ali Akbar Akbari," member of the Mojahedin.
The resolution called on "the authorities in Iran not to carry out any death sentence" and urged "the [European] Council and the Commission to put pressure on the Iranian Government with a view to prevent any further executions."
The European Parliament's adoption of this resolution shows that as far as human rights of the Iranian people are concerned the leaders of Iran's ruling regime are not different from one another. During Khatami's tenure, at least 260 persons have been hanged in public and seven, including four women, have been stoned to death.
Iran Cuts Industry Funding as Oil Income Falls, Reuter, October 6
TEHRAN - Iran, facing a sharp fall in its oil income, has drastically cut government allocations to mines and industries, a senior parliament deputy said on Tuesday.
Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, a leading member of the parliament's budget commission, said state hard currency funding for industries was cut to $360 million in the six months to September, from $1.85 billion in the same period a year earlier, Iranian television reported.
Nobakht was reporting on a closed session of parliament, held on Tuesday to discuss the problems of Iran's industries and mines, which face stagnating production due to lack of funds for spare parts and foreign raw materials.
Nobakht said the industrial slump and laying off workers were among issues discussed at the session.
Newspapers have in recent months reported on increasing labor protests over lay-offs and non-payment of wages.
The session was held days after Mohammad Ali Najafi, head of the state Plan and Budget Organization, told deputies that the government might face serious payment problems if parliament did not promptly pass a bill to compensate for a $6.3 billion budget deficit.
Iran's economy, which relies on crude exports for some 80 percent of its hard currency earnings, has been hit hard by slumping world oil prices.
Solutions proposed in the bill to overcome the budget deficit included taking advance payments ahead of oil deliveries, selling $700 million worth of bonds for development projects, obtaining $1 billion in foreign loans and borrowing up to 600 billion rials from the Central Bank.