TEHRAN - Iranian hard-liners shut down a newly launched newspaper Tuesday, the 19th paper closed in a crackdown that began last month.

State-run radio also warned newspapers that questioning the results of recent parliamentary elections could lead to prosecution, as the feud between rival factions over alleged vote tampering deepened in Iran.

The Mellat daily was banned by the hard-line judiciary for "violating press laws," a day after printing its maiden issue Monday, according to Saeed Mortazavi, an editor at the daily.

The Guardian Council has alleged widespread ballot fraud and has threatened to prosecute Interior Ministry officials; the ministry and council jointly handled the initial vote count. The council, too, has been accused of vote tampering.

"Baseless charges about the final result of Tehran elections by newspapers will be subject to prosecution," said Tehran radio, which also is controlled by hard-liners.

Rafsanjani is believed to be the hard-liners' choice for the powerful position of house speaker. A leader of the Islamic Iran Participation Front has said they could block Rafsanjani's entry to the house.

"First of all, we should see whether or not Rafsanjani's credentials will be approved in the parliament, let alone his candidacy for the post of speaker," the daily Bahar quoted Mohsen Mirdamadi, a top member of the Participation Front as saying.
 

Cultural Center Attacked By "Commandos", Agence France Presse, May 23

TEHRAN - Approximately 50 people armed with tear-gas and batons attacked a popular cultural center in north Tehran Monday, the official paper of the Tehran municipality, Hamshahri, reported Monday.

"After incapacitating our security guards, they broke the windows and doors down and proceeded to attack the center's director," said an employee of the Andisheh cultural center quoted by the daily.

The attackers swept through the building shouting profanities and spraying graffiti on the walls.

According to the daily, the "commando style" attack was meant to intimidate center officials into resigning. There were no reports of injuries or arrests.

"The assailants said to us 'we will do to you what we did to the students in the university dorms, leave this place quickly,'" said another employee to the daily.
 

Bassij Plans Protest At Tehran University, Agence France Presse, May 23

TEHRAN - Iran's volunteer fundamentalist militia called for a massive rally Tuesday at Tehran University.

The radio said the Bassijis planned to demonstrate in "well-regulated and disciplined columns" to commemorate the liberation of Khorramshahr.

The march comes just after the student demonstration, which had not been approved by authorities. Conservatives on Tuesday asked the Interior Minister to take action against the student group that organized the event.

Conservative newspapers and television condemned the students for chanting slogans against government leaders, notably Hashemi-Rafsanjani, whom they accused of "buying votes."
 

Daily Publisher Summoned to Court, IRNA (State News Agency), May 23

TEHRAN - The publisher of daily 'Iran' Hussein Ziaei and his lawyer Qolamali Riahi appeared at court here on Monday, and for about two hours studied the complaints filed against him.

Riahi numbered the cases eleven, several of which were made by different departments of the Iranian Law Enforcement Force (LEF).
 

Ministry Suing the Guardians' Council, IRNA (State News Agency), May 23

TEHRAN - Iran's Interior Ministry on Tuesday started court action against the Secretary of the Guardians' Council for insinuations against the National Elections Headquarters that, it said, amounted to mere "accusations."

The ministry filed a lawsuit with the Justice Department of Tehran Province citing Articles 697 and 698 of the Islamic Penal Law. It also demanded judicial restoration of the good name of the Headquarters.
 

Daily Suspended After Only One Issue, Agence France Presse, May 23

TEHRAN - An Iranian daily closely allied with Mohammad Khatami was suspended Monday, a mere day after hitting the newsstands, said the paper's director Said Haghi to AFP.

Said Haghi is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards.

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