Inclusion of Mojahedin in terrorist list, ANOTHER BID TO MOLLIFY MULLAHS

Mojahedin's Press Office, Washington, DC, Oct. 10 - The United States Department of State's inclusion of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran in the list of terrorist organizations is nothing new. It is merely the continuation of a policy that began in the course of Irangate fiasco as part of secret deals struck with the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran. At the time, the Tower Commission's report on the Iran-contra affair revealed that making such accusations against the Mojahedin had been formally requested by the mullahs' regime and was intended as a goodwill gesture to the Tehran regime by the U.S. State Department.

The 41-page report that the State Department produced three years ago against the Mojahedin and the Iranian Resistance, full of lies and distortions as it was, changed nothing but did arouse the outrage of the Iranian people and drew much protest from the U.S. media and the elected representatives of the American people.

The Iranian Resistance has responded in detail and with a plethora of evidence and documents to all these accusations in the past. It is therefore sufficient to reiterate the following points:

1. In its 32 years of existence, the Mojahedin Organization has always enjoyed the unsparing moral and material support of the Iranian people. The fact that the mullahs' regime has executed 100,000 members and supporters of this organization is the best proof of the extent of the movement's popular support and its financial and political independence.

The Mojahedin Organization has never been engaged in any fundraising activity in the United States. The State Department's recent action, said to be focused on fundraising, is therefore irrelevant and pointless as far as the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran is concerned. The Mojahedin will take legal action against the charge of terrorism through the appropriate legal and judicial channels in the United States of America.

2. The Los Angeles Times reported on October 9, "one senior Clinton administration official said inclusion of the People's Moujahedeen was intended as a goodwill gesture to Tehran and its newly elected moderate president, Mohammad Khatami."
BR>Such remarks come barely a month after the statement by the mullahs' Foreign Minister calling for a change "in the behavior of the U.S.," adding that "it is up to the Americans to decide whether or not they are prepared to accept the realities of Iran." This leaves no ambiguity as to why the accusation of terrorism has been repeated against the Mojahedin.

3. The State Department's recent action comes only three months after the statement last July by a majority of members of the United States House of Representatives in which they declared that "Support for advocates of democracy such as the Iranian Resistance's President-elect Maryam Rajavi would contribute to peace and stability in the region. This resistance has called for free and fair elections under the auspices of the United Nations and the creation of a democratic, secular, pluralist government."
BR>Which one are we to believe? And who is the real terrorist? The mullahs ruling Iran or the Mojahedin? A clear majority of the representatives of the American people and the people of Iran have passed their definitive judgment.

4. Five years ago, after being elected as President of the United States, President Clinton emphasized in a letter to the Leader of the Iranian Resistance, Mr. Massoud Rajavi: "The United States foreign policy cannot be divorced from the moral principles most Americans share." Repeating the accusation of terrorism against the Mojahedin and combatants of freedom in Iran is astonishingly divorced from "the moral principles most Americans share." Ironically, however, it testifies to the independence and strength of the Mojahedin and the Iranian Resistance.

5. The backers of the 1953 coup d'état against the nationalist and democratic government of Dr. Mohammad Mossadeq and the remnants of the Irangate debacle in the U.S. State Department intend to send a goodwill gesture to the mullahs ruling Iran, particularly their new President, at the expense of the Mojahedin. They must take note of the fact that during the Reagan or the Bush administrations, no "moderate" and no "goodwill" whatsoever was found within the clerical regime. The efforts this time will be no more successful than the previous futile approaches. The power struggle within the triumvirate leadership and escalation of the mullahs' infighting, air strikes against the bases of the National Liberation Army along the Iran-Iraq frontier and other terrorist operations against the Mojahedin reflect the clerical regime's weakness and are reminiscent of the unraveling of the shah's regime in its final phase.

6. As indicated by the resolution of the National Council of Resistance of Iran last week, the People's Mojahedin of Iran and the majority of the Iranian people believe that all factions within the theocracy ruling Iran, including Khatami's, share the same views and interests as far as suppressing the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people and exporting terrorism and fundamentalism are concerned. There remains no recourse other than resistance in order to transfer power to the Iranian people by overthrowing this regime, which has been condemned 40 times so far by different United Nations bodies for its flagrant violation of human rights and export of terrorism and fundamentalism. The mullahs themselves have imposed this on the Iranian people and the People's Mojahedin of Iran.

7. National Council of Resistance President Massoud Rajavi has on many occasions declared the readiness of the Iranian Resistance to take part in free elections for president and a constitutional assembly based on the sovereignty of the Iranian people and under the auspices of the United Nations.

8. On November 6, 1994, five days after the publication of the State Department's report against the Mojahedin, the Tehran regime targeted a basecamp of the National Liberation Army with three 6.5-ton Scud-B missiles. We, therefore, warn that 10 days after the Iranian Air Force flew through the no-fly zone to bomb two NLA bases, the mullahs will view a repeat of the accusation of terrorism against the Mojahedin as another green light to launch further air raids and use weapons of mass destruction. Should this happen, the U.S. State Department's responsibility will indeed be undeniable.

9. Unimpressed by the illusion being propagated about the moderation of the clerical regime, the Mojahedin will continue their struggle in the framework of the sole democratic alternative to this regime, the National Council of Resistance of Iran. In this path, they welcome the friendship of all nations, governments, groups and personalities who respect the legitimate rights of the Iranian people for democracy and independence.

Los Angeles Times, Oct. 9 - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright designated 30 foreign organizations as terrorist groups Wednesday, triggering a law that freezes their financial assets in the United States, denies US visas to their members and subjects Americans who give them money or weapons to 10 years in prison....

Newly listed organizations included the People's Moujahedeen, an anti-Iranian guerrilla group based in Iraq that maintains an office in Washington and has parlayed its anti-Tehran activities into substantial support on Capitol Hill. One senior Clinton administration official said inclusion of the People's Moujahedeen was intended as a goodwill gesture to Tehran and its newly elected moderate president, Mohammad Khatami...

Iranian group to challenge U.S. "terrorist" tag

Reuters, Washington, Oct. 10 - The main Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahideen Khalq, said on Friday it would challenge its listing by the United States as a "terrorist" organization in the U.S. courts.

The State Department included the group only as a sop to the new Iranian government, it added in a statement from its Washington office -- less than 400 yards (metres) from the White House.

The group again denied the "terrorism" charge, raised by the State Department in a controversial 1994 report to Congress. The department on Wednesday named the Mujahideen among 30 "foreign terrorist organizations," denying its members U.S. visas and making it illegal to give it funds.

"It (the listing) is merely the continuation of a policy that began in the course of the Irangate fiasco as part of secret deals struck with the religious, terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran," the Mujahideen said in a statement.

The group noted that the new Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, has called on Washington to change its behavior and to show whether it was willing to accept what he called the realities of Iran.

"This leaves no ambiguity as to why the accusation of terrorism has been repeated against the Mujahideen," it added.

The Los Angeles Times, in a report on the State Department listing, quoted an unidentified senior Clinton administration official as saying the inclusion of the Mujahideen was a goodwill gesture towards the new Iranian government.

The Mujahideen said it had never raised money in the United States so would not suffer from the listing.

"The Mujahideen will take legal action against the charge of terrorism through the appropriate legal and judicial channels in the United States," it added.

Hedayat Mostowfi, Washington spokesman for the National Council of Resistance, told Reuters it was too early to speculate what approach the challenge would take. The council is a 570-member body, similar to an opposition parliament in exile and dominated by the Mujahideen. He said he knew of no U.S. law preventing the Washington office from operating and distributing Mujahideen statements.

Rafsanjani slams U.S. on Nimitz move to Gulf

Reuters, Tehran, Oct 10 - Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday blasted the United States for rushing the aircraft carrier Nimitz to the Gulf, saying this was a reflection of Washington's "confused policies" towards Iran.

"The American warship Nimitz has cancelled its schedule to move towards Iran with the excuse that Iran has bombed Iraq. But after realising this was a bad move, they (U.S.) say we are not coming because of Iran but because of Iraq," Rafsanjani said in a Friday prayer sermon, broadcast on Tehran radio. "They have become reactive and confused. America does not protest and even approves when Turkey bombs Iraq on a daily basis...But when we attack once and hit terrorists, they move the Nimitz. What kind of double standards is this?" he asked.

"Of course, we did not lose. The warship set sail and oil prices rose... We profited and Americans have to pay," Rafsanjani said.

Washington last week ordered the Nimitz to sail to the Gulf ahead of schedule. U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen said on Monday that the move was a warning directed at Iraq, not Iran.

A Pentagon official had said earlier that it was reasonable to assume a connection between the Nimitz order and Iran's recent air raids on bases in Iraq of the Iranian armed opposition group Mujahideen Khalq. Oil prices rose on news of the Nimitz order.

Rafsanjani said U.S. policy was also confused on the Mujahideen Khalq, Iran's main opposition group which Tehran blames for cross-border raids from Iraq, bombings and assassinations.

He said Washington had been right to put the group's name on a list of 30 "foreign terrorist organisations". But he said the group had been allowed to operate freely in the United States.

The Mujahideen has denied attacking civilians but has claimed responsibility for hitting military, economic and state targets. Rafsanjani said Iran had recently tested anti-aircraft missiles which could hit targets at a range of 250 km (156 miles). Iran's armament programme has caused concern among its Gulf Arab neighbours, Israel and the United States.

DOMESTIC

Popular protests

Voice of Mojahed, Oct. 9 - 6,000 residents of Tehran's Qal'eh Gabri township staged a protest against the mullahs' regime. Four passers by lost their lives under the rubbles last week when Taqiabad's bridge collapsed. Government officials did not do anything but block the road and designate another passage route. The death of another resident in the new route, however, infuriated the residents who protested the regime's disregard of their basic needs.

Iran daily, Oct. 7 - 200 students from Kashan University protested what they called the shortage of basic facilities in that university. High fares and shortage of transportation facilities, the undesirable quality of food, and dormitory problems were among the issues protested to by the students.

Rights of religious minorities

Salam daily, Oct. 7 - The communal services of the Gonabadi dynasty in Karaj was prevented on Thursday, Sept. 18. It is said that the State Security Forces prevented the routine rituals of the Gonabadi dynasty upon the order of the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj.

Plight of women

Jomhouri Islami, Oct. 5 - The first congress to study women's role in defense and security was held in Kermanshah. General Asghar Jamali, military advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, addressed the gathering. He said in his speech: "Since all the creatures have an instinct for defense, women must positively respond to this instinct just as men do. Women's role in wars are not limited to nursing, giving services and attending to the needs of the wounded. One of the major influences women can exert is to have high spirit and encourage their husbands and sons."

Iran daily, Oct. 6 - Fifty Majlis deputies submitted a plan to make the girl schools a completely "no-male zone". According to this plan, the Education Ministry must employ the teachers and faculty of girl schools, especially high schools, solely from among women.

Jomhouri Islami, Oct. 4 - Addressing those who claim that Islam views men and women as equal, Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani emphasized, "Who told you that there is no difference between woman and man? I do not wish to say that women are deficient in thinking, understanding, knowledge and philosophy. God, however, has bestowed some privileges upon men, which he did not bestow upon women. Do we want to abide by Islam or by the views of some sister? Dear sister! What kind of a knowledge do you have? We have studied Islam for 50-60 years, and still do not understand the whole story! How could you express any views about the laws of Islam, when you have not studied anything?"

Deployment of minors for war

Hamshahri daily, Oct. 5 - On the occasion of the beginning of the new academic year in Iran, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, deputy Commander of the Guards Corps, said: "Students who study in the Guards Corps high schools must be sensitive to the destiny of the revolution and be prepared for armed defense at all times."

Suppressive maneuvers

IRTV, Oct. 8 - The second combat encampment for the Guards Corps will be held in the western district of Tehran province in the latter half of October. 50,000 members of the Guards Corps will participate in this camp from the provinces of Tehran, Qazvin, and Semnan.

Ilam's state radio, Oct. 7 - Ashura, Az-Zahra, and New War battalions will hold simultaneous maneuvers all across the province of Ilam on October 8 and 9.

IRNA, Oct. 4 - The first stage of the military maneuvers called Enzar will be staged for one week beginning on Saturday (Oct. 10) all across the northern Mazandaran province.

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