DATE=7/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251997
TITLE=IRAN-STUDENTS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE PRO-REFORM GOVERNMENT OF IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMMED
KHATAMI WARNED THREE CONSERVATIVE NEWSPAPERS WEDNESDAY THAT THEY
HAD VIOLATED THE COUNTRY'S PRESS LAW ON PUBLISHING CLASSIFIED
MATERIAL. IRANIAN STUDENTS HAVE ALSO CRITICIZED OPPOSITION
HARDLINERS, FOLLOWING RECENT PROTESTS SEEN BY MANY AS THE WORST
SINCE IRAN'S 1979 REVOLUTION. DETAILS FROM LISA BRYANT IN CAIRO.
TEXT: THE GOVERNMENT WARNING CAME FROM IRAN'S CULTURE AND
ISLAMIC GUIDANCE MINISTRY, TARGETING NEWSPAPERS THAT PRINTED AN
OPEN LETTER FROM 24 SENIOR REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS. THE LETTER,
PUBLISHED MONDAY, ACCUSES PRESIDENT KHATAMI OF LEADING THE
COUNTRY TO ANARCHY THROUGH HIS POLITICAL REFORMS.
IRONICALLY, IT WAS A SIMILAR GOVERNMENT WARNING THAT ULTIMATELY
CLOSED DOWN A PRO-REFORMIST NEWSPAPER EARLIER THIS MONTH. THAT
CLOSURE, ALONG WITH TOUGH NEW PRESS RESTRICTIONS AND A POLICE
RAID ON STUDENT HOSTELS, SENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ON TO
THE STREETS. THEIR PROTESTS SPUN INTO LARGER DEMONSTRATIONS AND
RIOTS, TRIGGERING A MASSIVE, GOVERNMENT-ORGANIZED
COUNTER-DEMONSTRATION LAST WEEK.
ON TUESDAY, IRANIAN STUDENT LEADERS SAID THEY FULLY SUPPORTED
PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S REFORMS AND WARNED OF FURTHER UNREST, IF THE
REFORMS WERE BLOCKED. THEY ALSO SAID IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE
REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS HAD OVER-STEPPED THEIR AUTHORITY BY
CRITICIZING THE KHATAMI GOVERNMENT.
BUT IRAN'S BIGGEST STUDENT GROUP, THE OFFICE OF CONSOLIDATION AND
UNITY, SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO TO BLAME FOR THE UNREST. IT
SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO MEET THE COUNTRY'S NEEDS,
AND HAD IGNORED CALLS FOR CHANGE.
THE STUDENTS' REMARKS ARE THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF CHARGES AND
COUNTER-CHARGES BY STUDENTS, HARD-LINERS AND REFORMISTS IN THE
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT OVER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNREST OF THE
PAST TWO WEEKS.
BESIDES THE KHATAMI REGIME, HARD-LINERS ALSO BLAME WHAT THEY CALL
ZIONIST AND AMERICAN INFLUENCE FOR SPARKING THE PROTESTS.
/// REST OPT ///
ON MONDAY, IRAN'S STATE TELEVISION REPORTED THAT A DETAINED
STUDENT LEADER HAD CONFESSED TO RECEIVING MONEY FROM EXILED
DISSIDENTS, AND THAT HE HAD TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES AND
TURKEY TO RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO SPREAD VIOLENCE.
STUDENTS CLAIM THAT 14-HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE
RIOTS. THE FIGURE, WHICH REPORTEDLY INCLUDES MANY WHO ARE NOT
STUDENTS, HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED. AT LEAST THREE
PEOPLE DIED IN THE VIOLENCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/LB/PCF/WTW
21-Jul-99 10:18 AM EDT (1418 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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