WASHINGTON - The United States on Tuesday urged Iran to reconsider its refusal to help in the probe of the 1996 bombing of a U.S. military housing complex in Saudi Arabia, saying cooperation would be a significant first step towards normal relations and an end to economic sanctions.

President Bill Clinton, in a letter to the Iranian leadership last month, sought a commitment that Iran support bringing to justice those responsible for the bombing, which killed 19 U.S. servicemen in the town of Khobar.

State Department spokesman James Rubin, wielding both a carrot and a stick, said that on the one hand cooperation could pave the way for an end to the sanctions but on the other hand a conclusion of Iranian guilt in the Khobar case would leave Iran open to a U.S. response, possibly including U.S. military action.

"We have made clear to Iran that there cannot be a lifting of sanctions and an improvement of relations unless and until Iran cooperates in the fight against terrorism. Cooperation in this investigation would be a first and significant step towards that end," he said.
 

Iranian Link?, ABC News (Internet Edition), October 5

Iranian government officials may have been involved in the 1996 terror attack on U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia, according to "information" obtained by the State Department, a spokesman said today…

Although suspicions of Iranian involvement have been hinted at before, today marked the first time direct allegations were made by the U.S. government.

"We do have specific information with respect to the involvement of Iranian government officials," State Department spokesman James Rubin said at a press briefing today…

"We believe the information is of a sufficient credibility to mention it publicly," he said.
 

U.S. Reluctant in Acknowledging Mullahs' Role in Bombing!, The New York Times, October 5

WASHINGTON -…. Until now, according to officials, the Administration has been reluctant to acknowledge possible Iranian involvement in the attack, in part because shortly after the bombing at the Khobar Towers apartments, the Administration threatened to retaliate with a military attack against any foreign government found to be responsible… Such retaliation is not in the interests of the Clinton Administration, either, officials said, since Washington has been exploring ways of trying to improve relations with Iran and… Khatami…
 

Europeans Were Deceived, State-Controlled Daily Manateq-E Azad, October 4

Ayatollah Khazali, addressing a group of Isfahan's people, said: "There is no filthiest thing as the plurality of views in Islam. Anyone who expresses such views should not be alive.

He added, "God willing, Mr. Khatami would not advocate the plurality of views in Islam, because anyone who does so, would be taking Quran from the people. Europeans were deceived with the word plurality, but we won't.

He also criticized the minister of culture and Islamic guidance saying that he does not have Islamic knowledge and cannot understand 'Hadith' [words of Imams] and religion.
 

From Mullahs’ Press, Iran Zamin News Agency, October 4

ARYA: Iranian women are increasingly depressed and account for most of the on average eight daily suicides in Tehran, an adviser to the education ministry said.

Abrar: A medical report said that ambulances take more than two hours to get emergency patients to hospitals and that people could get there faster themselves. The health minister said earlier in the week that emergency patients reached hospital in an average eight minutes.
 

Publisher Closed Over "Blasphemous" Book, Reuters, October 5

TEHRAN - Iran has suspended the license of a publishing house that printed a book deemed blasphemous to Shiite Islam, an official at the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry said Tuesday.

The official told Reuters the book Divaneh-ye Dovvom (The Second Lunatic) was written in what he termed a "cryptic style" and disparaged the 12th Imam, whose return to earth to usher in an era of perfect justice is eagerly awaited by pious Shiites.

The exact nature of the alleged insult was not clear.

The daily Ettelaat said authorities have ordered copies of the book to be withdrawn from bookstores.

Back to Brief on Iran