BRIEF ON IRAN No. 480 Tuesday, August 20, 1996 Representative Office of The National Council of Resistance of Iran 3421 M Street NW #1032 Washington, DC 20007 Iran Holding the Banner of Reviving Religion in the Globe, Radio Israel, August 17 Velayati [Tehran's Foreign Minister] said that the foreign policymaking system in the Islamic Republic, is not only responsible for defending Iran's religious and national values, but it assumes its duty to protect the interests of the entire Islamic world. Velayati added that Iran undoubtedly is holding the banner of reviving religion in the glob and is the base of Islam... Valayati, speaking in the [western city of] Mashad among the country's ambassadors abroad, was quoted by daily Abrar. He emphasized that protecting the interests of the entire Islamic world is in contradiction with Iran's national interests... [It is noteworthy that numerous reports have implicated the Iranian embassy and consulates in orchestrating a terror network by Iranian agents.] Mullahs' Export of Terrorism to Europe, Voice of America, August 19 The Spanish weekly magazine Tiempo - quoting Israeli and French intelligence sources - is reporting the Basque terrorist organization, ETA, has agreed to work closely with Islamic terrorists directed from Iran.... Citing Israeli intelligence sources, the report in Tiempo magazine says Islamic terrorists are being forced to reduce their presence in northern Europe, especially in Britain and Belgium. It says they are interested in increasing activities in France and Spain... In exchange for its help, ETA has asked for Iranian-produced missiles. The magazine report says Lebanese terrorist Imad Fayez Mughnieh is directing the Islamic side of the cooperation from Teheran. It says he met in late June with ETA representatives attending an international meeting in the Iranian capital, Tehran.... The report says the Islamic terrorists traveled with Iranian passports.... Observers say the Iranian connection - especially if it could provide missiles to ETA - could give the Basque group greater tactical mobility against the Spanish government. Meanwhile, civil guardsmen this past weekend arrested two journalists of the pro-ETA Basque newspaper Egin. Found in their residences were 27 kilos of explosives and a list of companies that refused to pay the so-called "revolutionary tax" to ETA. Rising Unemployment Results in Youths suicides, Iran Zamin News Agency, August 17 According to state-run radio, Mir-bagheri, [Rafsanjani's] advisor and the secretary of Supreme Council of Youths, said the youths unemployment rate in the country was 15%. He added the age-average of the populace is under 17.5 year-old. In a related dispatch, Iran Zamin News Agency, reported that in recent days three youths, in Bushehr, Shiraz and Tehran, committed suicides because of unemployment and poverty. Regime's Warmongering Lurks to Claim More Lives, Iran Zamin News Agency, August 18 According to official news agency, IRNA, eight years after Iran-Iraq war, the regime announced that during this period it has secured only one third of mines and explosives. Majid Daneshi, Iran's representative in the United Nations, said "Because we are not equipped with modern technology and necessary facilities, we have not been able to neutralize more than a third of mines remaining from the war." In recent years hundreds have lost their lives as a result of explosions in war regions. Widespread Protests in Iran, Iran Zamin News Agency, August 19 Last Tuesday, the residents of [central] city of Isfahan protested against deteriorating municipal services and voiced anti-regime slogans. According to the reports from Iran, the authorities dispatched repressive forces to prevent the spread of protests. The forces attacked rows of people. These reports add that similar disturbances occurred in other cities including Tehran, Shahr-e-Ray and Qazvin [north of Tehran], Sari [north Iran] in protest to the worsening municipal services.