DATE=7/15/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-251792 TITLE=IRAN PROTESTS (L) BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: IRAN'S INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS THE NATION'S SECURITY FORCES HAVE SUCCEEDED IN ENDING WHAT HE CALLS A NATIONAL CRISIS. RICHARD ENGEL FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU REPORTS THE OFFICIAL ALSO THANKED POLICE FOR PUTTING DOWN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL UNREST IRAN HAS SEEN IN 20 YEARS. TEXT: IRANIAN AUTHORITIES SAY THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PUT AN END TO A WEEK OF PRO-REFORM DEMONSTRATORS. TEHRAN WAS REPORTED QUIET THURSDAY AFTER BEING ROCKED FOR SEVEN DAYS BY STREET DEMONSTRATIONS. ANALYSTS SAY MANY IRANIANS TURNED AGAINST THE PROTESTS WHEN THE DEMONSTRATIONS DEGENERATED INTO RIOTS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SOME DEMONSTRATORS, ANGERED BY WIDESPREAD ARRESTS AND CLASHES WITH POLICE, BURNED CARS, BROKE WINDOWS, AND LOOTED SHOPS. TEHRAN RESIDENTS SAY THEY REJECT THE VIOLENCE AND CHAOS THEY SAW DURING THE PAST FEW DAYS. THEY SAY THE PROTESTS WERE STARTING TO LOOK FRIGHTENINGLY SIMILAR TO ONES DURING THE CHAOTIC DAYS OF THE 1979 REVOLUTION THAT BROUGHT IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE CLERGY TO POWER. OTHERS SAY THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE PROTESTS SHOWED IRANIANS THAT THE STUDENT-LED REFORMERS ARE TOO POORLY ORGANIZED TO BE TRUSTED WITH AUTHORITY. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF IRANIANS TOOK PART IN A COUNTER-DEMONSTRATION WEDNESDAY TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE ISLAMIC GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION TO THE STUDENTS WHO WANT RAPID REFORM. ANALYSTS SAY IRAN'S MODERATE PRESIDENT, MOHAMMED KHATAMI, ALSO FAILED TO BACK THE STUDENTS, WHO WERE AMONG HIS STRONGEST SUPPORTERS IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS TWO YEARS AGO. THE PRESIDENT IGNORED CALLS BY THE PROTESTERS TO ADDRESS THEM. INSTEAD HE REMAINED INSIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AND CALLED FOR THE RESTORATION OF NATIONAL ORDER. PRESIDENT KHATAMI SAID THE PEOPLE WHO CARRIED OUT ACTS OF VIOLENCE DURING THE PROTESTS HAD WHAT HE CALLED "EVIL INTENTIONS" AND THAT THEY MUST BE "ROOTED OUT." BUT PRESIDENT KHATAMI DID MAKE A SMALL CONCESSION TO THE DEMONSTRATORS BY SAYING -- IN HIS WORDS -- THAT HE FEELS THEIR PAIN. THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT ALSO CONDEMNED POLICE FOR ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST STUDENTS. ALTHOUGH THE STREET PROTESTS SEEM OVER, ANALYSTS SAY THE RIVALRY BETWEEN HARD-LINERS AND REFORMERS WILL CONTINUE. BUT AT LEAST FOR NOW, THEY SAY, IT WILL BE LIMITED TO POLITICAL, NOT PHYSICAL, BATTLES FOR POWER IN IRAN. (SIGNED) NEB/RHE/SB/KL 15-Jul-99 7:20 AM EDT (1120 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
