DOMESTIC

Iranian Journalist Found Murdered

AFP, Apr. 1 - Iranian journalist Ibrahim Zal Zadeh, who was arrested a month ago by the secret service, was found murdered on March 29 near Tehran, the Paris-based Reporters Without Frontiers said. The journalist's death was confirmed on Sunday, the following day, by his family, the press freedom campaigning organization said in a protest letter to Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. It said that the body of 45-year-old Zadeh, editor of the literary monthly Me'yar and owner of the publishing house Ebtekar (Initiative), was found half-buried in the outskirts of TeheranŠ.

NCR denounces writer's killing

Reuters, Apr. 2 - A major Iranian exile group said on Wednesday a well-known writer and publisher had been murdered in Tehran and suggested the country's Islamic authorities were responsible. The National Council of Resistance, in a statement issued in Geneva where the United Nations Human Rights Commission is holding its annual session, said Ibrahim Zalzadeh had been the victim of "criminal assassination." The Paris-based NCR, cited reports emerging from Tehran as saying he was abducted on his way home from work on February 24 and later killed. The statement said he had been buried by the Iranian authorities without his family being notified. "On frequent occasions in the past, the mullahs have murdered writers and leaders of confessional minorities in similar fashion," it added. The statement was issued a day after a report to the Commission from U.N. human rights investigator for Iran Maurice Copithorne said the Tehran government had maintained heavy pressure on dissent in 1996 although there was a "climate of change" on the status of women. Copithorne, a Canadian lawyer, has been criticized by some delegates to the six-week meeting of the 53-member body for failing to include details of executions inside the country and assassinations of Iranian exiles abroad in his report.

In a separate statement on the 22-page document, the NCR alleged that last year at least 32 political opponents of the Iranian administration were assassinated abroad, four times the number in 1995, and that 150 people had been officially reported executed, three times the number in 1995.

The group's leader, Massoud Rajavi, was quoted as saying that although Copithorne's report gave "a glimpse of the atrocities" carried out by the Iranian authorities, it did not adequately reflect "the severity of the regime's crimes."

NCR condemns mullahs' savage crime

NCR Secretariat, Apr. 7 - In a savage crime, the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran used thallium to poison scores of members and Peshmargas of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran. Many of them are facing death.

The NCR strongly condemns this anti-human crime by the mullahs' regime. It calls on international bodies to save the lives of the victims. In previous years as well, a number of Iranian Kurdish Pershmargas were poisoned in the same fashion and a several of them died tragically.

Fuel prices go up

Kayhan, Apr. 5. - Prices for petroleum products such as Gasoline, Kerosene and Diesel Fuel increased sharply/ Leaded fuel rose 25%. Unleaded fuel of super quality went up 22%. Diesel fuel increased 30%.

Taxi fares jump dramatically Jomhouri Islami, Apr. 5 - Simultaneous with the rise in fuel prices, taxi fares rose dramatically. In Tehran some fares went up as far as 40%. Minibus fares also increased. Prices for spare parts jump immediately.

Reviving judicial police force

Tehran radio, Apr. 5 - The head of the Judiciary, Mohammad Yazdi announced that reviving the judicial police force is one of the priorities of the judiciary this year. Speaking to a meeting of religious judges and prosecutors, Yazdi said that the force will be used to enforce decrees by the judiciary.

INTERNATIONAL

New scheme to disrupt Mykonos trial

NCR Secretariat, Apr. 7 - The leaders of the clerical regime are terrified of the domestic and international repercussions of being condemned by Germany's Federal Court in Berlin, particularly on the eve of the presidential elections and Rafsanjani's removal from power. The mullahs have warned Germany that if the court condemns them, they would not accept any responsibility concerning possible attacks on the German embassy, diplomats and citizens in Tehran. The regime has also threatened that it would reconsider its economic ties with Germany. Reports say that the clerics have offered new trade concessions to Germany in return for the court not condemning the regime's leaders.

German court to issue verdict next week

Reuters, Apr. 3 - A Berlin court said on Thursday it planned to announce its verdict next week in the trial of five men accused of murdering three Iranian Kurdish dissidents and their translator in 1992. The judges said they would announce the verdict next Thursday. Prosecutors have blamed Iran for the gangland-style assassinations of the dissidents, who were gunned down while dining in Berlin's "Mykonos" restaurant.

The trial of four Lebanese and one Iranian has caused severe strains in ties between Bonn and Tehran.

Last year protesters marched on the German embassy in Tehran, pelted it with eggs and tomatoes, and called for the death of state prosecutor Bruno Jost after he accused Iran of ordering the assassinations. Prosecutors have also issued an arrest warrant for Tehran's Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahiyan in connection with the killings... Germany's anti-extremist watchdog, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has said it fears violence when the court issues its decision.

Germans advised to avoid Iran trip

Radio Israel, Apr. 5 - On the eve of the Berlin court's verdict in the Mykonos trial, Germany's Foreign Ministry called on German citizens not to travel to Tehran. The verdict is expected on Thursday, April 10. Senior German officials warned about the clerical regime's reaction to the verdict, including hostage-taking.

FEATURE

A brief overview of the regime's presidential elections next May 23rd, is this week's feature.

By the editor

Less than 50 days remain until the clerical regime's presidential election farce. The state-controlled dailies have in recent weeks devoted most of their articles to this issue and the jockeying by the various faction. Most Friday prayer leaders have been talking about the elections in their sermons.

The regime and some foreign circles with vested interests in maintaining the status quo have attempted to give the elections a semblance of real competition much like other countries where election campaign and popular vote determine the future course of the country.

Although, the official date to register as a candidate is April 24, several individuals have already announced their intentions to run. They include Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri, the Majlis Speaker, who is the candidate for the "Association for the Combatant Clergy." He enjoys the backing of Khamenei. Speaking to a gathering of 150 Majlis deputies, he said: "From the outset, I stated my objection to be nominated for the post but was ordered to accept it. I thus entered into the competition."

The second candidate is Mohammad Khatami, nominated by the so-called Imam's line faction which belong to the "Association of Combatant Clerics." He was the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance under Moussavi's administration and during Rafsanjani's first term. Khamenei's faction forced his resignation. The pro-Rafsanjani faction also endorses him.

The third candidate is Mohammad Mohammadi Rayshahri, the ex- Minister of Intelligence who now is in charge of Iranian pilgrims in Hajj. He was Nominated by his newly established "Society to Defend Islamic Principals." He has no political affiliation of his own and in fact created this group to split pro-Rafsanjani forces in favor of Khamenei. Another candidate is Ibrahim Yazdi, the new secretary general of the virtually defunct "Iran's Freedom Movement." Despite his unswerving loyalty to the mullahs, Yazdi was not even allowed to run for a Majlis seat last year. Ezzatollah Sahabi, who was in charge of Bazargan's administration's Planning and Budget Office is also running, although no-one gives them any chance whatsoever. Moreover, the watchdog Guardian Council is yet to approve of their nomination, and is seen unlikely to do so.

From a distance, and to myopic eyes, the competition seems genuine and lively. Wall Street Journal wrote last March that Khatami enjoyed the enthusiastic support of students and intellectuals who viewed him as a strong advocate of freedom of expression. So are we looking at a real practice of the democratic process? Not by any standard! While Khatami is now being trumpeted as a champion of democracy, he was one of the leaders of the Imam's line and involved in all the atrocities perpetrated in those years. Ali-Akbar Mohtashami and Hassan Sane'i, the head of the foundation that recently raised the bounty on Rushdie's head to $2.5 million, were his closest allies. What makes this elections different from all other elections held in Iran since Khomeini's death is that the results, regardless of who wins, will further weaken the regime in its totality. After all, the elections mean that Rafsanjani will no longer be a player in the political hierarchy and the decision-making circles. Unlike Khomeini's era when due to his political and religious authority, he was able to leash the regime's various factions, Khamenei and his clique lack the ability to do so. Thus, the contradictions between Rafsanjani and Khamenei cannot be reconciled. For this reason, Khamenei has to part with his 18-year partner. Khatami's nomination is not yet approved by the Guardian Council and he has no chance of winning without Khamenei's backing. For the regime, the real issue is neither the competition between Nateq-Nouri and Khatami, nor among other candidates. Most people view the results as a foregone conclusion. Nateq-Nouri, Khamenei's protégé, is the hand-picked winner.

The real problem with which the regime has to come to terms is Rafsanjani's removal from power. Once he is left out, the regime loses one of its main pillars. This will have the following consequences:

1. The regime becomes much weaker since it will lose a major portion of its base of support. It will become more illegitimate and isolated than it already is.

2. The internal contradictions will become more antagonistic. When Rafsanjani was in power, some factions of the regime's internal opposition were under his authority and had vested interests in safeguarding the totality of the regime. Rafsanjani's demise will only escalate their hostility.

3. Khamenei will become even more isolated among the clerics. Those leaning toward Rafsanjani, will be arrayed against Khamenei.

4. As the regime becomes weaker, it will have to resort to greater domestic repression and export of terrorism. The Intelligence Ministry will gain the upper hand in the regime's internal hierarchy.

5. In foreign policy, the Velayat-e Faqih system will act more coherently and the export of fundamentalism to the countries in the region will increase.

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