BRIEF ON IRAN, No. 194 Representative Office of The National Council of Resistance of Iran Wednesday, June 21, 1995 3421 M Street NW #1032, Washington, DC 20007 Iran Paper Opposes Any EU Rushdie Deal, Reuters, June 20 TEHRAN - An Iranian newspaper said on Tuesday that any Tehran officials trying to strike a deal with the European Union on British author Salman Rushdie were acting outside their powers and would be reprimanded by the public. "These elements, be they diplomats or others, have spoken out and made promises outside their powers," said the daily Jomhuri Eslami, in reference to recent statements by leading Iranian officials in support of a deal with the EU on Rushdie.... Recent remarks by leading figures in Iran have encouraged EU diplomats to believe that Tehran, anxious to blunt U.S. efforts to isolate it, will reply positively.... "It is in the interests of the Europeans to distance themselves from the Salman Rushdie affair and not sacrifice their interests on a low individual who has profaned the sanctities of one and a half billion Moslems," the newspaper added.... Iran Revolutionary Guards Hold Exercise, Reuters, June 16 TEHRAN - About 100,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards on Friday held their largest military exercise since the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, Iranian media reported. Iranian television showed guard units and thousands of paramilitary Basij volunteers march to battle positions near Tehran after dawn prayers led by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.... Iranian leaders said the exercises were held to ensure the Revolutionary Guards' readiness to face any foreign threats. Head of judiciary Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi said on Friday the exercises were held "so that enemies of God would not imagine plotting against (Iran) much less taking any action." "You Westerners, especially America...it is credulity to think that Iran would give in to you because of an embargo," Yazdi said in reference to U.S. economic pressures on Iran. In addition to the Revolutionary Guards, about 300,000 Basij volunteers were holding exercises in cities across Iran, the television said.... Authorities Bust $1 Billion Forgery Ring, The Associated Press, June 20 BEIRUT - Authorities have cracked an international ring of counterfeiters believed to have printed and circulated about $1 billion worth of fake money - mostly U.S. currency, judicial sources said today.... The ring mainly printed $100, $50 and $20 bills, as well as the currency of Germany, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The money was printed in Lebanon and sent abroad, mainly to Arab and east European countries, the sources said.... Members of the ring were transporting some of the fake money in suitcases equipped with secret compartments through Beirut Airport.... The sources said those allegedly involved included Iranians.... Iran Says U.S. Failed to Turn G7 Against It, Reuters, June 19 NICOSIA - Iran said on Monday Washington had suffered a great defeat and failed to turn the Group of Seven industrial nations and Russia against Tehran. "The Halifax statement is the great defeat of the United States in creating coordination among the G7 states for boycotting trade with Iran," Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati was quoted by Tehran radio as saying. Velayati said the refusal of Russia and the G7 states to join the U.S. at the Halifax summit in imposing trade sanctions against Iran "showed that world states are not willing to be subservient to the U.S. and that each follows its own interests."... Iran-S. Africa Oil Storage Talks Seen In Early July, Reuters, June 19 DUBAI - Iran and South Africa are set to meet in early July for fresh talks on giving the National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) access to oil storage facilities at South Africa's Saldanha Bay, an industry newsletter said on Monday. The Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) said a further round of discussions has been set up for early July in London....