BRIEF ON IRAN No. 296 Friday, November 17, 1995 Representative Office of The National Council of Resistance of Iran 3421 M Street NW #1032 Washington, DC 20007 Iran Suspected in Plot to Assassinate Arafat, Radio Israel, November 16 According to Jordanian daily, Al-Belad, the [Iran's] Islamic Republic's leaders have prepared a plan for assassination of Yasser Arafat, the leader of autonomous Palestinian government. This plan is supposed to be carried out by Ahmed Jebrael's terrorist group. Al-Belad wrote that the assassination of Arafat was supposed to take place two weeks ago, but because of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin it was postponed. It is possible that it will be attempted in next few months. Al-Belad, quoting a senior Palestinian official, who recently visited the United States, wrote the autonomous Palestinian government is well aware of the details of this plan... In the Gaza Strip it is not unlikely that the Iranian government would try to use Palestinian fundamentalist groups to assassinate Arafat. Russia Complies with CFE, But Worried About Iran, United Press International, November 16 MOSCOW - ... Russian officials have said the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty must be adjusted.... Russian generals have also cited wars and instability in the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as what they call the threat of Islamic fundamentalism from Iran, as valid reasons to amend the agreement.... In Washington, Defense Secretary William Perry said Thursday he was optimistic the issue of the so-called flanks, which effects only a small yet politically potent part of the overall treaty, would soon be resolved.... Perry said it is "entirely appropriate" for terms of the treaty to be reconsidered because "when this treaty was agreed to, the geopolitical situations and even the countries' boundaries were very, very different.".... Dissent Unlikely Cause of Saudi Blast, Reuters, November 16 RIYADH - The lethal blast that ripped through a U.S.-run military training center in Saudi Arabia does not signal widespread dissent in the kingdom, a senior member of the royal family said on Thursday. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador in Washington, told reporters the ruling family of Saud believed it did not have violent internal opposition.... Privately, Saudi officials say the "fingerprints" so far point to expertise from outside the country.... Iran Justifies Saudi Bombing, Agence France Presse, November 15 The Iranian News Agency assessed Wednesday that the attack against Americans on Monday in Riyadh, "was not surprising." The news agency quoting an unidentified "Middle East expert" pointed out the "violations of human rights and widespread social and cultural discriminations in Saudi Arabia."... On the other hand the daily Iran News, close to the government, wrote that "the presence of 35,000 American troops in Saudi Arabia provides sufficient reason for such incidents - especially considering American's political-military behavior in the Islamic world." Iranian Rug Export Declined, Radio France, November 15 Iranian rug export declined by 33 percent during the first six months of the current year. According to Ezatollah Damadi, member of parliament's Trade Committee, the reason for this reduction is the government's new regulation. Based on this regulation, return of full amount of exchange earned by the export of rug or other goods is mandatory. Fixing the exchange rate of dollar to 3,000 rials and enforcing the return of exchange in the banking system of the country has resulted in decline of rug exports. According to Askar-Oladi, Deputy of Iran's Chamber of Industries and Commerce, if the government continued this policy, the non-petroleum exports in current year will not exceed $2 billion dollars.