BRIEF ON IRAN	 
Representative Office of 
Washington
 
The National Council of Resistance of Iran	
No. 583	
Thursday, January 30, 1997 
 
 

Iran's Long-range Missiles, Iran Zamin Weekly, 
January 27 
 
	According to reports from sources 
inside the Iranian regime, a large number of 
Iran's long-range missiles are stationed in a 
military base between Tehran and Karaj 
[northwest of Tehran]. 
	The reports indicate that many long-
range missiles, including some Scud-B missiles 
purchased from North Korea, are kept in the 
Revolutionary Guard's Balal-Habashi garrison. 
The garrison...is disguised as a repair and 
parking center for old vehicles belonging to the 
Revolutionary Guards' Sarallah Corps. 
	According to the reports, the 
government officials assisted by North Korean 
experts are conducting plans for increasing the 
range of missiles and provide training for the 
use of weapons.... 
 
 
Increased Threat from Iran, The Washington 
Times, January 29 
 
	Iran has increased its military forces 
significantly and has stepped up training over 
the past year as part of a "militarization" of the 
Persian Gulf, according to the commander of 
U.S. forces in the region. 
	Army General J.H. Binford Peay, U.S. 
Central Command commander, said Iran 
recently acquired from China 20 patrol boats, 15 
of which are armed with C-802 anti-ship cruise 
missiles. 
	The Chinese missiles —one was test 
fired during an exercise several weeks ago— 
and a third Kilo-class submarine from Moscow 
have improved Iran's ability to threaten U.S. 
warships or oil tankers in the Gulf, Gen. Peay 
told reporters and editors... 
	Iran also has begun placing missiles 
acquired from North Korea, China or the former 
Soviet Union in tunnels along its Gulf coast, he 
said.... 
	Gen. Peay said "the biggest concern we 
have is the continued support and exportation of 
terrorism."... 
	In the wide-ranging interview, Gen. 
Peay also said: 
	...Pakistan's government is worried 
about growing Iranian activities in Afghanistan 
and Central Asian nations. 
 
 
Hizbollah's Branch in Islamic Countries, Radio 
Israel, January 27 
 
	The Lebanese weekly Ash-Shiraa —
who disclosed the Iran-Gate affairs for the first 
time— reported in its latest issue that the 
Islamic government of Iran and the Hizbollah 
group have established a new international 
organization  to carry out actions in several 
Islamic countries, especially those with a Shiite 
minority. 
	Ash-Shiraa wrote that Iran's 
Intelligence Ministry and Foreign Ministry are 
overseeing the new organization. 
 
 
Iran's Foreign Debt, BBC Radio, Persian 
Program, Jan. 28 
 
	The Central Bank's Governor Mohsen 
Noorbakhsh announced that Iran has a foreign 
debt of approximately $20 billion. 
	[Reuters reported on June 17, 1996 that 
Iran's foreign debt is "more than $30 billion". 
Other reports set the value around $50 billion. 
	[State-run Iran News reported on 
January 23 that Iran's rescheduled payment 
obligations in 1997-98 is $7.15 billion. This 
figure is set at $4.19 billion for 1998-99, $2.62 
billion for 1999-2000 and the rest will be paid 
thereafter.] 
 
 
German Daily Says Has Letter From Missing 
Iranian Journalist, Reuters, January 29  
 
	A German newspaper said on 
Wednesday it had obtained a smuggled letter in 
which an Iranian journalist, missing since he 
failed to arrive from Tehran in December, said 
he had been held by Iran's secret service. 
	The Tageszeitung, in a release ahead of 
publication on Thursday, said journalist Faraj 
Sarkuhi wrote that the secret service forced him 
to pretend he had flown to Germany when he 
was in fact in detention. 
	After human rights groups expressed 
concern that Sarkuhi...had failed to arrive on a 
flight to Germany, Tehran media said Iran Air 
records showed that he had in fact landed. 
	But the German Foreign Ministry said 
at the time it believed Sarkuhi was still in 
Iran.... 
	[Reuters reported yesterday that Mr. 
Sarkuhi was arrested earlier this week.] 
	The Tageszeitung said Sarkuhi wrote in 
his letter that the Iranian secret service tried to 
force him to work with them and another 
Iranian was sent to Germany with his passport 
to have it stamped as proof of his visit. 
	The Tageszeitung also said it had 
information that Sarkuhi's mother was told on 
Monday that the secret service had also arrested 
his brother. 
	Sarkuhi's wife Farideh Zebarjad...said 
in December that her husband was one of a 
group of Iranian writers who were detained 
when Iranian security forces forced their way 
into the private apartment of the German 
cultural attaché in Tehran. 
	She said she feared he was being held 
as a bargaining chip in the case of four Lebanese 
and an Iranian being tried in Berlin on suspicion 
of killing Iranian dissidents.