The regime's leaders stated their grave concern in this meeting at the lack of security in the capital in light of an increasing wave of public discontent, anti-government protests and especially the intensifying power struggle within the regime.
Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Khomeini's ousted successor, had written in a letter to the regime's president, Mohammad Khatami, last week: "While you are unable to administer the country's affairs ... and maintain security, why are you going to hold the summit of Islamic heads of state? Have you thought about how you are going to offer protection to their leaders in this chaotic situation? How are you going to guarantee their security?"
In the meeting of the Supreme National Security Council, it was decided to put the Ministry of Intelligence on full alert and station more Revolutionary Guards units on the streets of Tehran. This comes at a time when dissatisfaction and tendency to leave the Guards are rampant among all ranks of the Guards Corps. This has aggravated the clerical rulers' concern at the security of the summit.
The Supreme National Security Council's meeting was attended by Khatami, Rafsanjani, Foreign Minister Kharrazi, Intelligence Minister Dorri Najafabadi, GC General Rahim Safavi, commander in chief of the Guards Corps, and GC Brig. Gen. Hedayat Lotfian, commander of the State Security Forces.
The eruption of unrest in different parts of the capital, including in East Tehran and in West Tehran, since Khatami was sworn in as president, reflect the country's explosive state, and while clashes among the regime's rival factions continue, serious doubts have been cast on the regime's ability to provide protection for the summit.
The Guards Corps has already prepared extensive plans to halt traffic and to set up check points and other suppressive measures in different parts of the capital. The Guards Corps units who are in charge of Tehran's security have been instructed to immediately suppress any protest action or anti-government demonstration.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 1, 1997
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