Massoud Rajavi Congratulates the New Year and Iranians' Resistance Advances Against Mullahs, Iran Zamin News Agency, March 21

In a message to the people of Iran, Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, congratulated the new Iranian year (beginning March 21) and described last year as a year of all-out advancement by the Iranian people and Resistance against the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran.

While presenting a detailed account of the Iranian Resistance’s accomplishments in the past year, Mr. Rajavi said: Magnificent demonstrations by Iranians over the past year clearly reveal the Iranian people's contempt for this anti-human regime and its president.

The NCR President referred also to 200 resolutions of condemnation of the continuing human rights violations in Iran by international bodies, including the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Commission and the European Parliament. He also pointed to statements by majorities in the U.S. House of Representatives, the House of Commons, and parliaments in Luxembourg, Belgium and Italy as well as a large number of legislators in other European countries, which declared support for the Iranian people’s just Resistance, recognized the "democratic alternative" and testified to the right of the Iranian people to resist against "dictatorship and repression."

Pointing to the escalation of the regime’s internal conflicts, the Iranian Resistance’s leader, said: "In the coming year, the contradiction between the warring faction who rule Iran will further aggravate."
 
 

Repressive Bassij Command Headquarters Pounded, Iran Zamin News Agency, March 20

Mojahedin’s operational units launched a major mortar attack at 7:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, March 18, against the Command Headquarters of the Guards Corps’ Bassij in Tehran’s Afsarieh district, Mojahedin’s Command Headquarters inside Iran reported.

A number of members and commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and the Bassij were killed or wounded in this operation and the main buildings sustained heavy damage.

Operation Sanandaj was carried out in response to the ruthless crackdown on February 22, on the demonstration in Sanandaj, capital of the Iranian Kurdistan province, where dozens of people, including 11 to 13-year-old girls, were killed by Revolutionary Guards and Bassij agents. A greater number of people were wounded and 2,000 arrested.

The Guards Corps’ Bassij was formed in 1979 on the orders of Khomeini to suppress the opposition, especially the Mojahedin. In the past 19 years, the Bassij has played one of the most active roles, alongside the Guards Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence, to suppress the public and carry out executions and massacres.
 
 

Mullahs' Officials Acknowledge Last Year's Economic Hardship…, Reuter, March 21

TEHRAN - Iran's leaders said they regretted the economic hardships of the past year and hoped for better in the Iranian new year which started on Sunday.

"The year we left behind was as usual full of sweet and bitter events. What was bitter for us was the hard economic conditions of people, price hikes and hardships," official media quoted spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying.

Mohammad Khatami -- elected in 1997 on a platform of economic and political reform -- said: "The year which ended was one of considerable difficulties, especially the (economic) pressure on the lower and middle classes.
 
 

… And Bring More on the First Day of The New Year, Reuter, March 21

TEHRAN - Prices of petrol and other fuels rose sharply on the first day of the Iranian New Year on Sunday as part of a government plan to reduce consumption.

The petrol price jumped 75 per cent. Motorists lined up at petrol stations on Saturday night to fill their tanks in anticipation of the rise.

Prices of other fuels, such as gasoil and kerosene, also rose considerably.

Although a major oil producer, Iran has to import petrol and other fuels for local consumption.

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