BRIEF ON IRAN No. 311 Tuesday, December 12, 1995 Representative Office of The National Council of Resistance of Iran 3421 M Street NW #1032 Washington, DC 20007 Gingrich Wants Funds for Covert Action in Iran - Report, Reuters, December 10 LOS ANGELES - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich has intervened in congressional budget negotiations over the CIA and other intelligence agencies to push for a new covert-action program to destabilize the government of Iran, a newspaper reported on Sunday. Gingrich's demand for about $18 million in funding for covert action in Iran has become the major reason for a lengthy delay on an agreement between House and Senate negotiators on the $28 billion intelligence budget, the Los Angeles Times said, citing sources in the intelligence community.... One source was quoted as saying Gingrich, a Republican from Georgia, sees Iran as an "evil empire" and believes strongly that the United States should oust Iran's current government.... Tehran Gets One Step Closer to the Bomb, Israeli Radio, December 5 According to German weekly Der Spiegel, within next year, North Korea will assemble nuclear warheads on its long range missiles, several of which are currently in possession of the Islamic government of Iran. The Iranian government and Syria are the most important customers of North Korean missile industry.... Mullahs Destabilize the Region, Agence France Presse, December 10 On Sunday a Saudi paper sharply attacked Iran, accusing her of attempting to sow division among Arab states in the (Persian) Gulf and putting it in "continued destabilizing circumstances." The daily Okaz, which reflects the official views of the Saudi Government, in an article entitled "Solidarity to Confront Iranian Conspiracy" wrote: "Iran is trying to interfere in internal affairs of Persian Gulf states and cause division among them..." Iran to Fight 80 Years for Islands, Reuters, December 11 TEHRAN - Iran is ready to fight 80 years for three strategic Gulf islands also claimed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Iranian deputy navy commander was quoted on Monday as saying. "We fought for eight years to defend our territorial integrity. Now, we are ready to fight 80 years to defend our islands," said Admiral Abbas Mohtaj, quoted by the daily Kayhan International, in reference to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.... Iran took delivery of two diesel-powered submarines from Russia in 1992, making it the only regional state to deploy subs in the Gulf region. It says it would take delivery of a third submarine in spring 1996. Cleric: Iranian People are at Much Comfort, Iran Zamin News Agency, December 11 According to the state-run radio, mullah Meshkini, representative of Khamenei in the city of Qom, claimed that the Iranian people are not only better off than the people in Turkey, Egypt, Azerbaijan, etc., but they are also much more comfortable than people of Japan and Germany! Meshkini, who was speaking in Friday prayers, said: "I have researched. There is no country in this area or elsewhere like Iran and [their people] are not as safe and comfortable. They all are worse than you." He then added: "Of course, we have also many who are not happy... But you did not revolt for food..." Unemployed Man Sets Himself Ablaze in Front of His Children, Iran Zamin News Agency, December 11 According to a report from inside Iran, an employee of the Moqan Plantation and Industry who had been laid off, set himself afire because of poverty and unemployment. He died due to severe burns.... The man had several times contacted the company to no avail. The last time he went there, asking to be reinstated, he was being accompanied by his two children. Being rejected once gain, he doused himself with gasoline and burned to death in front of his children...