BRIEF ON IRAN No. 319 Friday, December 22, 1995 Representative Office of The National Council of Resistance of Iran 3421 M Street NW #1032 Washington, DC 20007 Senate Passes Bill Tightening Iran Oil Sanc-tions, Reuters, December 21 The Senate has passed a bill that would tighten sanctions against companies which trade with Iran or Libya in the oil sector, Sen. Alfonse D'Amato said on Thursday. The legislation, approved late on Wednesday, would require the U.S. president to impose sanctions on anyone engaging in trade with Iran or Libya in petroleum and natural gas development, the New York Republican said in a statement.... "Now we have a bill that says to those companies that provide investment in Iran's oil and natural gas sectors, 'you can trade with us, or trade with them'," D'Amato said. Sanctions could prohibit Export-Import Bank assistance for exports to the targeted country, he added. The United States would not issue any license to export goods or technology to a sanctioned entity and could bar U.S. banks from lending money to them. Any sanctioned foreign financial institution will lose its designation as a primary dealer in the United States, D'Amato said. "Iran uses its hard currency to fund efforts aimed at spreading terrorism and obtaining weapons of mass destruction. This bill will combat those efforts," D'Amato said. Senate Passed US-Sanctions Against Iran, Associated Press, December 21 The Senate has passed a bill that would punish foreign companies that invest in the oil industries of Libya or Iran, both on the U.S. State Department's list of countries exporting terrorism.... The measure now goes to the House of Representatives, where similar bills are pending.... The bill would authorize President Clinton to prohibit loans from the U.S. Export-Import Bank and impose other economic sanctions against citizens or firms of other countries for investing in either of the two countries' oil industries. It originally would have sanctioned firms trading in Iranian oil and gas as well as investors in its oil industry. But the measure was toned down to eliminate the trade provision. Iranian Guards Test Rebuilt Tanks, Air Defenses, Reuters, December 21 TEHRAN - Iranian Revolutionary Guards on Thursday tested tanks rebuilt by Iranian experts from seized Iraqi tanks and held air- defense exercises, Iranian media said. The Safir-74 (Messenger-74) tank, a renovated version of Soviet-built T-54 tanks seized by Iran during the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, was tested successfully along the road from Tehran to Qom, 120 km (75 miles) to the south, the daily Ettelaat said. It did not give further details. Revolutionary Guards experts had improved the tanks through "major changes in their engine power, transmission system, fire power (and) internal fire-extinguisher," it added. Tehran radio said the Revolutionary Guards also held air-defense exercises in an area near Qom, using ground-to-air missiles and anti- aircraft artillery to shoot down unmanned planes as part of events marking a week honoring the guards. Lack of Proper Health Care Hurts Iranian Youths, Iran Zamin News Agency, December 21 According to the deputy to the regime's Minister of Health and Treatment, 15 million Iranians are vulnerable to disruptions due to lack of Iodine. From these three million are already suffering from severe symptoms. Recently the state-run newspapers revealed that more than 84% of teen-aged and young girls suffer from Iodine deficit. Ayatollahs Broaden Their Bases for Illegal Activities, Radio Israel, December 20 Iranian private entrepreneurs are about to buy a second airport in north Germany. This airport has been a NATO base till last year... German officials are negotiating the deal with Musa Habibollahi, an Iranian entrepreneur, and his representatives in Germany confirmed this. It should be noted that two years ago another airport, to which German media referred to as ayatollahs' airport, in northern Germany was used by a group of Iranians. They media reported that the Islamic Republic used this airport to transport drugs and smuggle arms and other illegal goods. In connection with that, German prosecutors have prosecuted a number of mangers of the airport...