Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - Paris, June 23 - Tens of thousands of Iranians took part in demonstrations in 11 countries. Chanting "no to the terrorist mullahs! yes to Maryam Rajavi," they called for the rejection and boyc ott of the dictatorship ruling in Iran and recognition of the National Council of Resistance and its President-elect, Maryam Rajavi.

Demonstrators in Washington, D.C., Stockholm, the Hague, Rome, Copenhagen, Brussels, Vienna, Bern, Oslo, Athens and Sydney vowed allegiance to Mrs. Maryam Rajavi as the symbol of "the Iranian people's national unity, sovereignty and Resistance against the mullahs' illegitimate and detested dictatorship." They also reaffirmed support for the National Council of Resistance as "the only democratic alternative" and "the only solution for the establishment of democracy and popular sovereignty in Iran." Also supported, as the "cure for the pains and suffering" of the Iranian society, was "The Charter of Fundamental Freedoms in Future Iran", declared on June 16 by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi in the gathering of 15,000 Iranians in Dortmund, Germany.

The Washington Post, June 24 - About 6,000 opponents of Iran's fundamentalist regime marched through downtown Washington yesterday afternoon, endorsing the U.S. embargo on trade with Iran and urging European nations to follow the U.S. example. Demonstrators from across the country carried flags and waved placards displaying photographs of Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of their movement, and her husband, Massoud Rajavi, who commands the resistance army.

The Associated Press, June 23 - Thousands of Iranians opposed to their country's strict Islamic government rallied outside the White House on Friday to press a demand for international trade sanctions against Tehran.

"The international community must cease appeasing and placating this regime of religious compulsion and despotism," declared Saleh Rajavi, a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

The gathering in Lafayette Park, across the street from the presidential mansion, was organized a to mark the 14th anniversary of armed resistance against the Iranian theocracy. The council, a Paris-based umbrella body uniting Iran's exiled opposition groups, aimed to rally Iranians in 16 major cities in Europe and North America. "The time has come for the United Nations Security Council to impose a comprehensive embargo, of the kind that brought apartheid to an end in South Africa, against the clerical regime," Rajavi said.

The crowd estimated by organizers at 6,000 people, later marched through downtown Washington, chanting "Terrorist Mullahs out of the U.N." and "What do we want? Boycott; When do we want it? Now."

In a statement this month, the Iranian government described the dissidents as terrorists spies working 'to the benefit of the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially (Israel's)Zionist regime and naturally the United States."

Demonstrators carried dozens of Iranian flags with the traditional lion-and-sun symbol that the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini replaced with verses from the Koran after his 1979 revolution.

Their demands also included an end to the suppression of Iranian women and official recognition of the National Council of Resistance....

On June 9, 202 members of Congress signed a letter urging Clinton to cooperate with the national Resistance Council, saying it would contribute to the "realization of political pluralism and democracy in Iran."

They were joined by about 1,500 lawmakers from European nations who signed calls for sweeping sanctions...

The Hague, June 23 (Reuter) - The Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, which has campaigned for an international boycott against the Iranian government, said 6,000 people joined the march through the center of the city.

A spokesman for the group said it wanted Western governments to impose a trade ban against the Iranian government covering arms, technology and oil, but excluding food and medicines.

TV2, Norway, June 23 - Exiled Iranians and Norwegian politicians demonstrated today in Norway against the Iranian regime.

Demonstrators condemned the position yesterday of the Iranian clerical regime reaffirming the death threat to William Nygaard, publisher and others who have published Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses.

TV2, Norway's news agency, June 23, Copenhagen- Several thousand exiled Iranians demonstrated Friday against the Iranian regime in several European countries. In Copenhagen, Iranians demonstrated in downtown, Kultorvet. This demonstration took place simultaneously in 11 countries in Europe, including in Oslo.

In Oslo in front of the Parliament, keynote speakers were Marit Nybakk, from the Labor Party, and Christian Halouchine, socialist MP.

Unita, June 24 - Representatives and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, staged a demonstration against the Iranian mullahs' regime in Rome's central square. On the day of martyrs (100,000) and political prisoners, Ahmad Forouqi, member of the NCR Foreign Affairs committee in Italy, called on other governments to impose a comprehensive embargo on the regime, support for the Resistance's president-elect and her charter of fundamental freedoms announced for tomorrow's Iran.

Paris, June 22 (Reuter) - Iran rejected on Thursday European Union demands to lift a death order against British writer Salman Rushdie, a spokesman for the official Iranian news agency IRNA said.

He said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmoud Vaezi told IRNA in an interview after meeting EU officials in Paris that the fatwa, or death edict, against Rushdie for blaspheming Islam remained in force.

"(Vaezi) had no answer for the (EU) troika. He insisted on the fatwa," the IRNA spokesman said. He said IRNA would carry the interview shortly.

French television LCI said Vaezi had also rejected an EU demand to make a commitment in writing that Tehran would not try to carry out the fatwa, imposed in 1989 by Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini for Rushdie's book, "The Satan ic Verses."

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - Paris, June 22 - The Khomeini regime's official reaffirmation of the death decree for Salman Rushdie once again underlined the fact that as long as the mullahs' terrorist religious dictatorshi p is in power, it will continue to export terrorism and fundamentalism.

Mr. Rajavi added: The Khomeini regime's emphasis today on the need to execute the death decree for the British author once again shows that every effort to find moderates within this regime is doomed to fail. Internal suppression and export of terrori sm are common policies of all the factions of this regime. The Iranian Resistance has continuously emphasized that the mullahs' regime is incapable of reform and that "sniper never gives birth to doves."

The President of the National Council of Resistance added: This decree is in no way related to Islam. To survive and to prolong their rule, the mullahs need this decree and to misappropriate Islam to export terrorism and create crises abroad. Khomeini and his heirs are the worst enemies of Islam and Muslims.

Mr. Rajavi added: Failure of the two-month negotiations of the European Community with the Khomeini regime to gain the latter's commitment not to kill the British author, shows that the policy of critical dialogue is doomed to fail. Every form of appea sement of the mullahs will only embolden the regime in its crimes inside and outside Iran. He added: As 1,725 European and American parliamentarians declared last week, the time has come for the European countries to join the complete embargo of the Khom eini regime and for the world community to support the National Council of Resistance and its elected President.

Bonn, June 23 (Reuter) - German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel urged Iran on Friday to spell out whether it still wants to see British author Salman Rushdie dead. Kinkel condemned the religious death sentence, or fatwa, that Iran passed on Rushdie in 19 89 for blasphemy against Islam in his novel "The Satanic Verses", saying it could not be justified even on religious grounds....

"I expressly criticize the Iranian delegation for being unprepared to make a clear statement on the Rushdie case in yesterday's crucial talks," Kinkel said in a statement. "EU foreign ministers have repeated their call on the Iranian government to unequivocally and formally distance themselves from the use of violence against Salman Rushdie, respect human rights and condemn all forms of terrorism.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - Paris, June 23 - The mullahs' regime decided in a National Security Council session in early May to prevent, through every possible means, the European countries and Japan from joining the san ctions in the G-7 session in Canada, reports from inside Iran say.

In this NSC meeting, Rafsanjani pointed out that one such possible means was the Rushdie case. "We must pretend that if the Europeans join (the sanctions), we will intensify our policy against Rushdie, and vice versa," Rafsanjani emphasized. To this en d, it was decided that several delegations be dispatched to Europe. The session was also attended by Velayati, the regime's Foreign Minister, and Fallahian, the Minister of Intelligence. From then on, the regime's 2nd and 3rd rate officials made ambiguous remarks on Rushdie's fate to prevent the G-7 from making any serious decisions.

At the same time, the regime's leaders, in the government, Security Council and the Majlis, concurred that every withdrawal from or flexibility on the fatwa for Rushdie would bring under question the entire existence of this religious dictatorship. The refore, in an early June meeting, Khamenei, the mullahs' leader ordered the state-run newspapers to resume advocating and writing on the need for killing the British author....

Meantime, the Guards Corps Qods Force sent a group of its well-trained mercenaries to Europe in mid-June. Some of them went to Cyprus to change their identification papers and erase their track. Another team went to its destination through Austria.

The Qods Force is in charge of carrying out the final stage of the regime's export of terrorism and fundamentalism, i.e., training the talented recruits and sending them to various countries to carry out terrorist operations. In the first four months o f 1995, the Qods Force trained 20 Lebanese near Karaj, 20 Palestinians and 20 nationals of Pakistan in the Bahonar garrison. In the prior months, the Qods Force had trained a group of Lebanese upon the suggestion of the 15 of Khordad Foundation which anno unced a 2 million dollar bounty for Rushdie's head.

Mullah Sane'i, head of the 15 of Khordad Foundation, is quoted as saying recently in a private meeting: "Salman Rushdie's protection continues to remain intense. Therefore, we will have to take advantage of any negligence of the security forces in a si tuation similar to that of the assassination of Bakhtiar."

Sunday, June 18, Kayhan newspaper announced, "Those finishing off Rushdie will not be our diplomats but our revolutionaries, particularly those in Europe...."

Press Office of the People's Mojahedin of Iran - Paris, June 18 - A press spokesman for the Mojahedin made the following comment on the trial of three women in Tehran:

The showcase trial of three women in Tehran is a futile effort on the part of the mullahs to overshadow the Iranian Resistance's extensive victories in Iran and abroad. Particularly that the trial is carried out only two days after the 15,000-strong me eting of Iranians in Dortmund, Germany and the satellite-broadcast speech of the Iranian Resistance's President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, which met extensive support among Iranians and drew unprecedented attention in foreign political circles and the media.

The call by 1,725 parliamentarians from the U.S. Congress and European countries for imposing an embargo on the Khomeini regime and supporting the Iranian Resistance and its President-elect, is among the reasons which compelled the mullahs' crisis-ridd led regime to once again play this burnt card.

Reports from today's trial bespeak of the orchestrated nature of the tribunal. The defendants' refusal to defend themselves or accept defense attorneys, and the trial's postponement to an uncertain date do not leave any room for doubt.

As the People's Mojahedin have repeatedly announced, the three women and a person called Hamid, whom the mullahs' regime accuses of having killed the Christian priests are in no way related to the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran.

The actual murderer of the Christian priests is the terrorist religious dictatorship ruling Iran. Citing sufficient documents and evidence, the British Parliamentary Human Rights Group published a report last year and proved that the crime had been com mitted by the agents of the mullahs' regime. Furthermore, Professor Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, the special representative of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, emphasized the same idea in his report. The priests, all three, were famous opponents of the mullahs' dictatorship. When Mr. Dibaj was in jail, pastor Hovsepian Mehr, issued strongly-worded statements, distributed worldwide, which harshly criticized the Khomeini regime. To intimidate the Irania n Christians, the regime executed the cold-blooded murder of these three priests. The Mojahedin's press spokesman repeated the proposal on July 20 last year by Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. In his telegram to the Pope, Mr. Rajavi urged him to demand that the Khomeini regime surrender the three women to the Vatican's impartial authorities, so that they could be tried in the presence of criminologists and representatives of the league of lawyers and jurists and interrogated in the presence of the representatives of the Iranian Resistance.

Office of the People's Mojahedin of Iran - Baghdad, June 19 - The Observer of June 18, 1995, carried an article on Iraq in which it falsely claimed that the People's Mojahedin "was given responsibility for policing the Iraq-Jordan border" with special orders for shooting and arrest of Iraqi citizens.

The source of such misinformation, which does not deceive any one, is the Khomeini regime. This subject was first published three days earlier on June 15 in "Iran" newspaper, affiliated with the regime's official news agency. IRNA wired the story on th e same day. These absolutely false propaganda by the regime coincide with claims by the Khomeini regime's officials and media that Iraq has restricted the activities of the Mojahedin and will soon extradite them to the mullahs' regime.

Dissemination of such absurd lies, also reflected in The Observer, is one of the old ploys of the mullahs' Intelligence Ministry. The Iraq-Jordan border is the permanent thoroughfare for citizens, reporters, diplomats and observers of the United Nation s who can all testify to the falsity of such claims.

The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran today discussed the Khomeini regime's lies in this regard with relevant international authorities. The mullahs' lies are merely a reflection of their cowardly and terrified reaction to the Iranian Resistance' s victories in Iran and on the international scene.

Iranian men and women opposing the mullahs' religious dictatorship in Tehran staged a huge demonstration yesterday in Dortmund. This is the first of the series of demonstrations planned to take place in 12 major cities in Europe, United States and Cana da. How many were they? 30,000 or 50,000, it does not matter. This demonstration, organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, forced itself by its extent....

No doubt, this resistance organization and this parliament do not conform to classical standards arising from public suffrage. This is because they did not have any choice but a political and armed struggle against the fundamentalist dictatorship rulin g in Iran. But, compared to the mullahs, do these resistance activists comply less to the classical standards? Judge for yourself: They demand freedom of expression and the press, separation of the church and state, respect for fundamental rights of men and women, abolition of all forms of privileges based on sex, class or faith, respect for public elections and leaving aside nuclear weapons and nuclear research with military objectives.

If they succeed in overthrowing the mullahs, the members of this transitional parliament commit themselves to hold a public and free elections within six months after the overthrow. Is this Iranian Resistance a threat to public order? While the German interior security forces concur that this Resistance has "no potential for threatening public order," Bonn officials refuse to grant her a visa. They say the objective of a violent overthrow of the Iranian regime is incompatible with the Federal Republic' s "foreign policy interests..."

This resistance has already fought the Shah's authoritarian regime and can easily claim that "Bonn has been taken hostage by the mullahs." According to reliable sources, Bonn has in fact surrendered to the pressures imposed by a very special agent from Tehran, one of the chiefs of the secret police. Tehran's excuse is that its is affected by economic boycott imposed by Bill Clinton. Perhaps, this explains it well: According to the German IW Economic Institute, Germany has exported some 2.6 billion DM w orth of goods to the Islamic Republic in 1994.

Washington, June 24 - Iranian diplomats working out of their embassy in Bonn plotted to disrupt a huge opposition rally in Germany last week, perhaps with the intention of assassinating a leading Iranian dissident, American intelligence officials said today. At about the same time, Germany asked two Iranian intelligence officials to leave the country because of evidence that they were planning potentially lethal operations from German territory, the American officials said. The expulsions did not appear to be specifically linked to the plot.

German Foreign Ministry officials denied any knowledge of the plot or the expulsion, although they abruptly banned the opposition leader, Maryam Rajavi, from entering the country to address the rally.

But United States officials said they confirmed the incidents both with German officials and through independent American intelligence-gathering efforts in Germany. The American disclosure of the incident in Bonn is likely to embarrass the German Government and may further divide the Clinton Administration and its allies in Europe and Asia about how to deal with Iran.

For the United States, evidence of an Iranian-inspired plot in Europe is just more proof that Iran is, as Washington claims, an "outlaw state" that spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year on terrorism and has embarked on a "crash" course to devel op nuclear weapons. The evidence is certain to be seized on by the Administration to boister its uncompromising thought much-criticized campaign to undermine the Teheran Government through economic means.

Both American and German intelligence concluded last year that Iran is using its embassy in Bonn as an informal headquarters of the Iranian intelligence services in Europe, and as a base from which to watch its 100,000 citizens in Germany to buy milita rily useful technology and equipment.

The German determination to remain silent about the plot and expulsion underscores the vast difference in approach between the United States and Iran' major trading partners, which has refused to join the American economic embargo. They argue that the best means of changing Iran's behavior is to embrace it, rather than isolate it.

President Clinton acknowledged that difference in a news conference earlier this month when he said, "I don't know that we're on the same wave length" with the allies, adding "the evidence is that constructive engagement with the Iranians has, at least so far, failed to produce any positive results."

Most of the allies would agree with the American case-- despite official denials in Teheran-- that Iran is positioning itself to become a nuclear power, building its arsenal of chemical weapons and ballistic missiles, undermining Middle East peace effo rts, and supporting terrorist groups and acts worldwide.

But the Europeans and the Japanese contend that the United States, with its relentless name-calling and sweeping charges often without concrete proof, has tended to distort the Iranian threat for domestic political reasons, including a desire to neutra lize an anti-Iranian Congress. There is also a strong perception abroad that the anti-Iranian stance of the United States reflects the increased influence of Israel in shaping American perceptions of Iran, at a time when Iran is strongly supporting terror ist groups determined to undermine Middle East peace talks.

Iran has done little to help the Europeans and Japanese justify their conciliatory approach, as shown most recently by Teheran's rejection on Thursday of an appeal from the 15 European Union nations to lift the death threat imposed against the novelist Salman Rushdie.

Early last week, when the German Government abruptly banned Mrs. Rajavi, the Iranian opposition leader, from entering Germany, officials explained that as the head of a movement determine to violently overthrow the Government of another country, she wa s not welcome. But American intelligence officials concluded that there was another reason as well: the discovery by German intelligence that Iran's embassy in Bonn was assembling a team from the terrorist group the Party of God to violently disrupt the rally, and perha ps assassinate Mrs. Rajavi.

Since Germany has led the Europeans in defending what it calls a "critical dialogue" with Teheran that is based on high-level exchanges and efforts to boost trade, it is not surprising that German authorities have kept quiet about the alleged plot, but have clung to the official line.

We cannot allow cause for the violent overthrow of a government form our own territory," said Sabine Sparwasser, a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Bonn. Asked whether Germany has asked for the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats, she added, "To my knowled ge there have been no recent cases where we told Iranians from the embassy to leave."

Officials in the office of Bernd Schmidbauer, the intelligence coordinator for Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the senior German official involved in contacts with Iran, declined comment on any matter involving Iran. It was Mr. Schmidbauer who infuriate the Clinton Administration after he allowed Ali Fallahian, the head of Iran's intelligence services, to visit Germany in 1993, and tour intelligence headquarters in Wiesbaden.

Of all the arguments the Administration has made against Iran, its case that Iran supports terrorism has been the most difficult to make. That is because American officials say they are reluctant to disclose information that could reveal intelligence s ources and methods in gathering the information and thus compromise the operations involved.

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