BRIEF ON IRAN
No. 553
Friday, December 6, 1996

Representative Office of
The National Council of Resistance of Iran
Washington, DC


POPULAR UPRISING IN WESTERN IRAN CONTINUES, Dozens killed, hundreds wounded
and hundreds more arrested

Reuters, December 5 - An Iranian police colonel was killed and several
others may have died in the western city of Kermanshah this week in riots
triggered by the death of a Sunni Muslim cleric, residents said Thursday....
	The clashes in Kermanshah, a city of more than 600,000 people some 325
miles west of Tehran, centered around the Shafei mosque, whose 64-year-old
Kurdish prayer leader Molla Mohammad Rabi'i died Monday...
	"It's not safe to go to Javanshir," a bank employee in Kermanshah said. "I
heard several cars were attacked there. The situation must be bad because we
hear occasional gun shots, even at night."
	"I heard that several people were killed and many were arrested there," she
said....
	Iran's state-run television said a number of people had been arrested in
Kermanshah, but gave no figure.
	In Paveh, a Kurdish town 60 miles northwest of Kermanshah and near Iraqi
border, unrest broke out Thursday among the predominantly Sunni population
in response to the rumors surrounding the cleric's death....
	The National Council of Resistance of Iran, which is affiliated to
Mujahideen Kahlq, said in a statement issued in Paris that 30 people had
been arrested in Paveh. There was no independent confirmation of the report.

Iran Zamin News Agency, December 5 - The National Council of Resistance of
Iran, In a statement, reported on the uprisings in Kermanshah.  The
statement citing eyewitnesses said that a considerable number of protesters
are around 20 years old who engaged in fights with the mullahs' suppressive
forces. The statement said:
	The unrest began on Monday following the discovery of the dead body of
Molla Mohammad Rabai'i, a Sunni leader.  People of Ravansar clashed with the
Guards Corps who opened fire on the protesters.  Some 300 persons were
wounded. Kourosh Mohammadi, 19, lost his life due to severe injuries.
	The next day in Javanrood, youths gathered in Bassij Square and staged a
protest.  They chanted slogans against Khamenei and Rafsanjani. At least 50
were wounded and a large number, including three 15 and 16 year old students
were killed.
	On Tuesday afternoon, Ravansar saw another demonstration which was raided
by the Revolutionary Guards, who killed and wounded dozens of demonstrators.
	On Wednesday, thousands of people of Kermanshah gathered in front of the
Shafe'i Mosque to stage a protest.  As the security forces and Guards Corps
intervened, heavy clashes broke out.  21 persons were arrested and seven
wounded.  At the same time, a colonel, Ali Akbar Najafi, was killed in
clashes with the protesters.
	Thursday morning in Paveh, over 500 youngsters clashed with the security
forces. At least 30 were arrested.
	The situation is very tense throughout Kermanshah province and the regime's
forces are on full alert in all the cities. Tehran state-radio attributed
the protests to the supporters of the Mojahedin. 
	Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the NCR described the popular uprisings in
this province as an example of the public hatred of the mullahs'
illegitimate regime throughout the country and called on the nation to rise
to the assistance of their courageous compatriots in Kermanshah.


Mullahs' Terrorist Mines in Sudan, Agence France Presse, October 30

	CAIRO - Sudanese opposition has accused Khartum of planting mines in
eastern Sudan to counter their operations...
	On Saturday, a dissident General, Abdul Aziz Khalid, told daily Al Hayat
that members of National Democratic Alliance are constantly defusing mines
in the area.  He said: "Most of neutralized mines are Iranian made and
samples of the mines are available to us..." 


Iran's Attempt to Influence German Trial as Predicted by the Resistance, BBC
Radio, December 3

	Yesterday, the daily Kayhan, quoted Fallahiyan [regime's Intelligence
Minster] regarding security and intelligence ties between Iran and Germany.
No other newspaper covered the remarks.
	The daily Salam reported that an Intelligence Ministry official demanded
the newspaper not to publish Fallahiyan's statement.  Nevertheless, Kayhan
has asked the Intelligence Ministry to provide more information on
Fallahiyan's disclosure, which included the issue of releasing three German
citizens who are in Iranian prisons charged with espionage.

	[Note that on November 27, the National Council of Resistance issued an
statement saying: "According to reports from within Khomeini regime, the
criminal rulers of Iran are planning to work through several European
countries... and use continued threats... against the German Judiciary
officials, to convince the government of that country to interfere in the
work of Judiciary and prevent further investigations into the role of
Khamenei and Rafsanjani in terrorist crime which took place in Berlin in
September 1992...."]