Back to Brief on Iran
TEHRAN - The Iranian press attacked US ally Saudi Arabia Sunday, saying it executed the superpower's demand that OPEC boost oil production, while Iran was the only cartel member to stand firm against the United States.
The Jomhuri-Eslami daily said Saudi Arabia "carried out a US-dictated policy in OPEC" to bring down the price of oil.
"Riyadh has proven that it carries out Washington's policy and that's why OPEC should not pay the price of decisions imposed by the United States even if Saudi Arabia defends them," it added, echoing the views of Iranian leaders.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided last week to revert as early as this week to production quotas in force before its March 1999 decision to cut output by 1.7 million barrels per day.
OPEC's second largest producer, Iran, did not join the agreement, but said that it would increase its production "from April" in its own interests.
The Tehran Times saw US pressure
for lower oil prices as interference in Iran's internal affairs and accused
Washington to trying to turn Tehran into a "monarchy" that would carry
out US wishes.
Theology Student Slain By Attackers, Agence France Presse, April 2
TEHRAN - A theology student was slain in a Sunni Muslim majority city of predominantly Shiite Muslim Iran by assailants who first questioned him about his religious beliefs, the Asr-e Arzadegan newspaper reported Sunday.
Shamseddin Kiani, 18, was kidnapped, forced into a car, beaten and burned in the southeastern city of Zahedan in Sistan Baluchestan province by unidentified attackers.
Before he died of his wounds Friday, he was able to tell the authorities that the assailants had questioned him about his religious convictions and reasons for studying in a Koranic school, the paper said.
It was not known whether Kiani was
a Shiite or a Sunni.
Rafsanjani Says US Must Apologize before Ties Restored, Agence France Presse, March 31
TEHRAN - Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who still plays an influential role in the regime, said Friday the United States must apologize to Iran before relations can be normalized.
"They absolutely must apologize to show their good will," Rafsanjani said after US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's announcement last month of the lifting of some US economic sanctions against Iran.
"Such interventionist remarks set us back instead of move us forward," said Rafsanjani, who heads the powerful Expediency Council which mediates disagreements between the regime and parliament.
He said Albright's "confession" concerning her country's policy on Iran was "positive" but that her other remarks "were very negative and constituted flagrant interference in (Iran's) internal affairs."
Rafsanjani on Friday criticized Albright for supporting the pro-reform movement.
"It's the worst hostility and could
be harmful to those it supports," he said without elaborating.
Rafsanjani Blasts OPEC for "Cave In" To US Pressures, Agence France Presse, March 31
TEHRAN - Influential former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday blasted Iran's OPEC colleagues for "caving in" to US pressure after the cartel opted to boost output in a bid to slash prices.
"OPEC has unfortunately caved in to superpower pressures and approved the pillaging of its members' resources," he said during a sermon at weekly prayers at Tehran university.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed late Tuesday to restore production to its level before cuts a year ago that helped treble prices on the worldwide market, but Iran refused to sign the accord.
Analysts said Tehran did not want to be seen as bowing to pressure from its arch-enemy Washington, but Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said after the deal that Iran would increase output in any case in its own interests.