In a statement issued today by the U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant (D-Ohio), he strongly "condemned the terrorist attack conducted… by the Iranian regime on one of the military bases of the Iranian resistance, the National Liberation Army." Rep. Traficant also "called on the U.S. State Department to abandon its policy of appeasing the Iranian regime."

"The State Department’s policy of appeasement has only encouraged Tehran to escalate its terrorist campaign against the main opposition to the mullahs, the People’s Mojahedin of Iran," asserted Traficant.

Traficant noted that the recent demonstration by more than 10,000 supporters of the Mojahedin in Paris was a "no vote to Khatami’s entire regime."

"Instead of taking a realistic assessment of the true situation in Iran, our State Department has decided to align itself with another unpopular, unstable ruling regime in Iran. This is the wrong approach, and should be corrected immediately. More fundamentally, it is immoral for the United States to turn its back on the resistance and embrace one of the most tyrannical governments in the world."

Traficant said today that he will continue working with the majority of his colleagues in the House of Representatives, who have "condemned the weak-kneed Iran policy of the State Department, and declared their strong support for the Mojahedin’s effort to bring justice to Iran."

This morning, Congressman Edolphus Towns strongly condemned the "terrorist missile raid" on a base of the NLA on November 2, and called for an international investigation. Mr. Towns denounced the regime of Mohammad Khatami, describing the mullahs’ president as "a dyed in the wool terrorist, who talks about moderation while ordering indiscriminate attacks with weapons of mass destruction."

The New York Democrat said he was outraged at the State Department’s continuing attempts to portray Khatami as a "moderate," instead of focusing on a policy that pursues democracy in Iran. "The demonstration in Paris last week by 10,000 Iranians protesting Khatami’s trip to France was a clear indicator of how Iranians really feel. The demonstrators rejected Khatami, loudly and clearly, and demanded a new government that guarantees democracy and human rights."

"The Department’s waffling and apparent unwillingness to confront such atrocities has been interpreted by Tehran’s terrorists as a green light. Now is the time for the administration to set the record straight. Anything less is unacceptable," Mr. Towns added.
 
 

Mullahs’ Supreme Leader Assails Those Who Favor Better Ties With U.S., The New York Times, November 4

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's supreme religious leader on Wednesday marked the 20th anniversary of the seizure of the American Embassy here with a fiery speech denouncing Iranian reformers who have called for reconciliation with the United States as "either simpletons or traitors."

… Ali Khamenei… appeared to slam the door on any easing of tensions between the two countries.

At the same time, he appeared to open a potentially explosive chapter in a bitter power struggle between conservatives and reformers within the ruling clergy...

For nearly an hour… Khamenei… kept up an anti-American diatribe that was stunning in its virulence... He depicted the United States as a country dedicated to subordinating and exploiting Iran and suppressing the Islamic beliefs of its people…

But even worse, he said, summoning up the specter of a treacherous fifth column within Iran, was that "a small but active minority" of clergy, secular politicians and journalists, people for whom "the dictates of Islam are not important," was working for the United States against Iran's interests…

"Some people are even trying to convert 'The Day of Confronting Global Arrogance' " -- the celebration's formal title -- "into a day of softness toward America," Khamenei said. "I can only say they are either simpletons or traitors."…

… Khamenei's speech gave an ominous twist to the internal debate in Iran. Without mentioning Khatami, … Khamenei appeared to invite a showdown, one that many Iranians fear could stretch tensions to the breaking point…

… In effect, he put reformers on notice that further advocacy of improved ties with Washington would be regarded as un-Islamic and treasonable, terms that have been used since the revolution to justify severe punishments…

For "three or four years," he said, senior American officials had been saying they wanted a new relationship with Iran. But he said American intentions had been become clear recently when a "woman official" in Washington -- meaning Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright -- had said Iran would have to abandon its hostility toward the Middle East peace effort as a condition of the United States dropping economic sanctions and other aspects of its "containment" policy.

"Zionists are the main policy makers of America," … Khamenei said, "and the problem is that Iran is the biggest and most important center of confrontation with Israel."…

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