BRIEF ON IRAN	
No. 611
Wednesday, March 12, 1997

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



US Calls for Diplomatic Isolation of Iran, Agence France Presse, March 10

	WASHINGTON - The United States issued a new call Monday to diplomatically
isolate Iran, claiming Tehran actively supports terrorism and opposes peace
efforts in the Middle East.
	State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns, asked about the diplomatic tours
of Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, said Washington "does not
believe that countries in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world
should engage in business-as-usual diplomacy with the Iranian government."
	"That is a government which is trying to build a nuclear and chemical
weapons capability," Burns said. "It is directly funding Hezbollah and Hamas
and other terrorist groups. And it's resolutely opposed to the Middle East
peace process.
	"It's not a government, we believe, that should be shown a great deal of
courtesy."... 


Khamenei Blasts Clinton, Admits Export of Revolution,, state-run Radio,
March 9 and 10

	In his speech on Monday, Khamenei [the leader of cleric regime] during his
visit  from southwestern city of Abadan [in south western province of
Khouzestan] said: "Today the world is a strange world...  It is the era of
dominance for those who have no respect for human values in international
arena...  Anywhere there is war, you see their footsteps.  Wherever there is
arms buildup they are involved.  Wherever there are security conspiracies
against nations and popular[!] governments, America or similar to America is
involved...  Then they shamelessly advocate human rights.  The current
American President, in his election campaign and after that has made human
rights a priority of his administration.  Truly, well done for so much
shamelessness.  Human rights?  Do you understand what human rights means?...
The system's policymakers and authorities, must enforce the Islamic values
without any attention to this kind of propaganda... Because only under rule
of Islam and Islamic values the realization of the life of this nation is
possible...."
	In the third day of his trip to Khorramshahr Khamenei was quoted as saying:
"The Islamic Revolution is a continued, endless movement and the meaning of
export [of revolution], despite the propaganda by Arrogance [referred to
US], is the export of fundamentals of thoughts and the experience of making
an Islamic, independent, proud and progressive society...
	"The Islamic system, just contrary to the desire and effort of America, is
constantly advocating unity, and it believes that Islamic nations must
confront the enemies of Islam with solidarity.  But some of the countries in
the region, neglectfully or intentionally, have responded positive to
deceitful plans of the enemy..."


Israel Threatens to Block Missiles  Going to Iran, Agence France Presse,
March 10

	JERUSALEM - A senior Israeli official said Monday that the Jewish state
will act to prevent the arming of Iran with ballistic missiles if persuasion
fails to do the job.
	"Such arming constitutes a threat to Israel's very existence and we cannot
sit back with our arms folded," Israeli public television reported the
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying.
	The official was part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's delegation
which arrived in Moscow Monday night for a three-day official visit which
will center on the Middle East peace process and Russo-Iranian relations....
	The weaponry "could change the balance of power in the region... change the
map for peace," he warned....
	He will also raise the issue of sales of Russian nuclear technology or any
other matter that can be used for manufacturing weapons by Tehran...


More Corruption in Government Agencies, state-controlled Kayhan, March 11

	150 employees of Iranian Bureau of Customs accused of violations were
dismissed and heavier charges are under investigations.
	Abbas Vahajji, General Director of Bureau of Customs, referring to this
incident said that the agency became suspicious of illegal activities since
February 1996...
	He said:  "The violations included misrepresentation of size, monetary
value and the number of imported rugs... The actual value of the rugs was
$546,283, but in the official paperwork they were appraised at $175,774..."
	He added that among 150 who are terminated there was a staff with 29 years
of service...