DATE=7/14/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43881
TITLE=IRAN/PRO-GOVERNMENT RALLY
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING SUPPORT
FOR IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP RALLIED IN TEHRAN
WEDNESDAY WHERE JUST A DAY EARLIER, WITNESSES SAID AS MANY AS
20-THOUSAND PEOPLE, MOSTLY STUDENTS, WERE OUT DEMONSTRATING
AGAINST THEM. JUST WHAT DO THESE DEMONSTRATIONS MEAN FOR IRAN'S
FUTURE ? V-O-A CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE HAS BEEN SPEAKING WITH
SEVERAL EXPERTS.
TEXT: MISSING FROM TEHRAN'S STREETS WEDNESDAY WERE THE
STUDENTS WHO FOR SIX DAYS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING PRO-WESTERN REFORMS
IN DEMONSTRATIONS THAT WITNESSES SAY HAD BEEN DRAWING IN OTHER
SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY AND BECOMING INCREASINGLY VIOLENT.
WHETHER WEDNESDAY'S PRO-GOVERNMENT RALLY MEANS THOSE PROTESTS ARE
OVER IS FAR FROM CERTAIN. FORMER AMBASSADOR RICHARD MURPHY WAS
THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION'S SENIOR DIPLOMAT FOR THE MIDDLE EAST.
// MURPHY ACT //
I THINK THAT TODAY'S EVENTS STAGED BY THE GOVERNMENT MAY
WELL BRING AN END FOR THE MOMENT TO THE DEMONSTRATIONS
AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. WHAT THE STUDENTS WERE
PROTESTING WAS THE ISSUE OF FREE SPEECH, FREE PRESS.
AND UNSPOKEN WAS THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY BECAUSE THERE
HAS BEEN A GROWING CONCERN AMONG THE YOUNG ABOUT JOBS
AND THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T BEEN ORGANIZING AND DIRECTING
THE ECONOMY IN A WAY THAT'S PRODUCING THOSE JOBS.
// END ACT //
AT WEDNESDAY'S PRO-GOVERNMENT RALLY, DEPUTY PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER
HASSAN ROWHANI WARNED ANYONE DAMAGING STATE PROPERTY RISKS THE
DEATH PENALTY. PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED THE DEMONTRATIONS SAY SUCH
ACTS HAVE NOT BEEN CARRIED OUT BY STUDENTS BUT BY OUTSIDERS
INFILTRATING THE PROTESTS BENT ON PROVOKING A CRACKDOWN BY
AUTHORITIES.
// NELSON ACT //
IT'S AT LEAST GOING TO BE PEACEFUL UNTIL (COMING)
SATURDAY AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT
HAPPENS ON SATURDAY.
// END ACT //
WARREN NELSON IS THE ENGLISH EDITOR OF THE IRAN TIMES, A
BILINGUAL NEWSPAPER FOR NORTH AMERICA PUBLISHED IN WASHINGTON.
BY SATURDAY, STUDENTS ARE EXPECTING THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE
ADDRESSED THEIR DEMANDS.
// SECOND NELSON ACT //
THEY SAID THAT THIS WOULD PROVIDE ENOUGH TIME FOR
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OVER THE SEVEN DEMANDS
-- THEY CALL THEM REQUESTS -- WHICH WAS RATHER
DIPLOMATIC, THAT THE POLICE CHIEF BE FIRED, THAT THE
NEWSPAPER SALAAM (RECENTLY CLOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT) BE
ALLOWED TO RESUME PUBLICATION , SUCH REQUESTS AS THAT.
// END ACT //
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT HAS DRAWN A LINE BETWEEN WHAT IT CALLS
LAWFUL AND LOGICAL STUDENT DEMANDS AND WHAT IT DENOUNCES AS
MANIPULATION BY FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC ELEMENTS -- A TERM USUALLY
MEANT TO REFER TO THE UNITED STATES. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
DENIES IT HAS PLAYED ANY ROLE IN FOMENTING THE STUDENT PROTESTS.
BUT RICHARD MURPHY THINKS THERE ARE POSITIVE STEPS THE
ADMINISTRATION COULD BE TAKING IF IT WANTS TO STRENGTHEN THE HAND
OF REFORMIST PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI.
// SECOND MURPHY ACT //
WHAT WE SHOULD NOT DO IS TAKE SIDES IN A POLITICAL
CONTROVERSY. WHAT WE COULD DO BECAUSE IT WOULD BE GOOD
IN ITSELF IS TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBLE INITIATIVES THE
UNITED STATES COULD TAKE IN TERMS OF DOING SOMETHING
ABOUT THE SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON IRAN.
// END ACT //
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS TELL REPORTERS THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT
BY NOT OPENLY DECLARING SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS, THE UNITED
STATES COULD BE SEEN AS OFFERING THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT A GREEN
LIGHT TO PURSUE A HARSH CRACKDOWN. AMBASSADOR MURPHY THINKS
WASHINGTON'S BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS TO WATCH BUT SAY LITTLE.
// THIRD MURPHY ACT //
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY DISADVANTAGEOUS TO
PRESIDENT KHATAMI AMONG OTHERS IF HE WERE TO BE
IDENTIFIED AS SPONSORED BY THE UNITED STATES AND BACKED
AND ENCOURAGED BY THE UNITED STATES.
// END ACT //
SO FOR THE MOMENT, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS KEEPING LARGELY
QUIET ABOUT THE MOST SERIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS IRAN HAS SEEN SINCE
THE REVOLUTION THAT LED TO THE FALL OF THE SHAH TWENTY YEARS AGO.
(SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/PT
14-Jul-99 5:36 PM EDT (2136 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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