DATE=4/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247947
TITLE=IRAN / FUNERAL (L ONLY)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: LARGE CROWDS OF MOURNERS AND SENIOR IRANIAN GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS GATHERED MONDAY IN TEHRAN FOR THE FUNERAL OF AN
ASSASSINATED MILITARY OFFICIAL. RICHARD ENGEL IN CAIRO REPORTS
IRAN HAS VOWED TO TAKE REVENGE AGAINST THE REBEL GROUP THAT
CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MURDER.
TEXT: IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER, AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, AND THE
NATION'S PRESIDENT, MOHAMMED KHATEMI, JOINED THE MOURNERS TO PAY
RESPECT TO A SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL WHO WAS ASSASSINATED
SATURDAY.
THE CROWDS MARCHED OUTSIDE OF IRAN'S MILITARY HEADQUARTERS AND
SHOUTED SLOGANS DENOUNCING THE IRANIAN OPPOSITION GROUP THAT
CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ASSASSINATION. THE IRAQI-BASED
GROUP, KNOWN AS THE PEOPLE'S MUJAHIDEEN, SAYS IT MURDERED THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF IRAN'S ARMED FORCES, ALI SAYID SHIRAZI,
BECAUSE HE ALLEGEDLY EXECUTED OPPOSITION FIGURES AND MILITARY
PERSONNEL DURING WHAT THE GROUP CALLED THE UNPATRIOTIC WAR
AGAINST IRAQ.
REPORTS SAY THE ASSAILANTS WERE DRESSED AS CLEANERS WHEN THEY
OPENED FIRE AT GENERAL SHIRAZI WHILE HE WAS LEAVING HIS HOME FOR
WORK. GENERAL SHIRAZI LED SEVERAL OF IRAN'S MAJOR OFFENSIVES IN
THE NATION'S EIGHT-YEAR WAR WITH IRAQ.
IRANIAN OFFICIALS AND THE NATION'S MEDIA ALSO HAVE BEEN CRITICAL
OF WESTERN NATIONS WHICH THEY SAY SUPPORT IRANIAN REBEL GROUPS.
GENERAL SHIRAZI'S ASSASSINATION IS THE LATEST IN A STRING OF
ATTACKS AGAINST IRANIAN OFFICIALS IN RECENT MONTHS.
IN AUGUST, THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE NATION'S PRISON SYSTEM WAS
ASSASSINATED. THE PEOPLE'S MUJAHIDEEN ALSO CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT ATTACK.
IN JANUARY, THE HEAD OF IRAN'S JUDICIARY WAS BADLY INJURED BY
ARMED ATTACKERS. FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THAT, A SENIOR ECONOMIC
OFFICIAL SURVIVED AN ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RHE/JWH
12-Apr-99 9:43 AM EDT (1343 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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