BRIEF ON IRAN No. 410 Friday, May 10, 1996 Representative Office of The National Council of Resistance of Iran 3421 M Street NW #1032 Washington, DC 20007 Militants in Iran Renew Their Attacks on Western Influences, The New York Times, May 9 Muslim militants in Iran have renewed a campaign of intimidation against what they call corrupting Western influences, shattering the glass doors of a movie theater on Teheran's busiest shopping street and beating patrons in an attack on Sunday. The day before, militants set another cinema on fire, and in recent weeks they have assaulted women who were riding bicycles in a park and barged into private weddings and parties.... Some residents described the assaults as the most intimidating in the capital in at least a year.... The militants' organization, which calls itself Ansar-e Hezbollah, or Supporters of the Party of God, has warned that it is prepared to take further initiatives to "preserve the society's values and stop un- Islamic phenomena," the London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat reported Wednesday.... Masoud Dahmanky, a spokesman for the Supporters of the Party of God, was quoted by Al Hayat on Wednesday as criticizing government officials and the police for failing to do enough "to stop social problems and corruption."... The new outbreak has made many people in Teheran, especially women, uncomfortable.... "It's terrible," one resident of Teheran said in a telephone interview Wednesday in a reference to what she described as an environment that has become more tense. "We don't go out anymore." Iran's Tae Kwon Do Athletes Seek Asylum, Radio France International, May 9 Four athletes from Iran's national team who where participating in International Tae Kwon Do tournaments in Belgium requested asylum. The fifth fled to another European country. Belgian authorities have refused the asylum status for these athletes, whose lives are in danger. Belgian government has given another deadline to review their appeal. Terrorist Groups Meet with Tehran's Officials, Radio Israel, May 8 According to Arabic daily Al Minar in Eastern Jerusalem, last week the leaders of several terrorist groups had an important meeting with top Iranian officials in Tehran. In their first meeting, the representatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Lebanon's Hezbollah met with mid-level officials of Iranian security and intelligence. In the second meeting, some of higher officials participated. According to Al Minar the objective of these gatherings in Tehran is to determine a new strategy for continuing sabotage and operations. ... Yet Another Open Invitation to Terrorism and Violation of Rights: Germany Clashes with U.S. Over Iran, Reuters, May 9 German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel on Wednesday defended the European policy of "critical dialogue" with Iran and rejected U.S. calls to break off contacts and trade with Tehran.... Kinkel dismissed suggestions that Germany was making large profits out of its relations with Iran, saying trade last year declined to 2.1 billion marks ($1.4 billion)... "Peanuts, absolutely peanuts," he declared.... Kinkel said Germany was as aware as the United States of the "evil things" that Iran had done.... Mullahs' Power Struggle Reveals Corruption, Associated Press, May 9 TEHRAN - The head of customs at Tehran's international airport has been jailed for embezzlement amid growing public pressure for government action to stamp out widespread corruption, a newspaper reported Thursday. The Salam newspaper said the official and several others were arrested for embezzling an estimated $330,000 by exporting valuable Persian carpets in violation of strict export regulations. The newspaper did not identify the customs official, who it said was being held in Tehran's Evin prison, or any of his accomplices.... Many of Iran's 60 million people hold down two or more jobs just to make ends meet. The government says inflation is 30 percent, but some estimates put it as high as 100 percent. Prices are so high and wages so low that the average monthly salary of $100 is barely enough to pay the monthly rent on a one- bedroom apartment in a lower-middle class neighborhood in Tehran. Last week, Mohammad Raisi, head of the State Inspectorate, disclosed that a number of top officials have been fired for "financial offenses" and that government departments and organizations will be investigated, with offenders dealt with "decisively."...