Many Causalities Could Have Been Prevented, Iran Zamin News Agency, May 14

Agence France Presse reported from Tehran on Wednesday that according to Iranian press, because of the earthquake in Khorassan, at least 100 children have become orphans…

In another related report from Esfadan in Khorassan province, AFP reported that four days after this catastrophe, the corps of victims are still brought to the mortuary of neighboring towns to Esfadan's cemetery…

AFP reported: "Golamreza Ahamdi watches the body of his 13 year-old son as he was being carried to cemetery on a stretcher, which is in fact a door… The father who has lost his wife and his 6 year-old daughter complains that 'he lost his life because of lack of attention.'… Sitting few meters away from his son's grave he cried 'Many are wounded, but there are few doctors.'…

"Mohammad Hosseini, the kid's uncle, said: 'If the medical crews had come immediately, many deaths could have been prevented.'…"

 

EU Parliament Demands Consistent EU Policy on Iran, Reuter, May 15

STRASBOURG, France - The European Parliament on Thursday urged European Union governments to adopt a more consistent policy towards Iran, which it accused of "persistent acts of state terrorism."…

"The European Parliament demands that the Council (of EU Ministers) establish a common and united policy...regarding the diplomatic representation of the member states in Iran," Euro-deputies said in a non-binding resolution.

The EU's directly elected assembly also urged the 15-member Union to step up pressure on the Tehran authorities to stop sponsoring terrorism and human rights violations, and to increase EU ties with pro-democracy groups in the country….

European Parliament Declares its Support for Iran's Democratic Opposition, Calls for Dialogue, Iran Zamin News Agency, May 15

In a resolution ratified today, the European Parliament while expressing its solidarity with the victims of the Iranian regime's terrorism, announced that it "supports all the democrats opposed to the present Iranian regime who are fighting to establish a truly democratic and secular state in Iran."

The resolution urges the European Union "to put a definite end to the 'critical dialogue' with the regime and to enhance dialogue with all those promoting to transformation of Iran into a democratic state."

The resolution also condemned "in the sharpest possible terms the persistent acts of state terrorism perpetrated by the Iranian government at home and abroad."

 

Israel: Iran Arming Hezbollah, Associated Press, May 15 

WASHINGTON - Iran delivered 37 jumbo flights of weapons to Syria, destined for Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon, in the first four months of the year, an Israeli government official asserted Thursday.

Without providing details, Uri Lubrani, who coordinates Israel's activities in Lebanon, said some of the weapons were much more sophisticated than had been in the hands of the guerrillas previously….

"It's an unwinnable war as long as Iran is there" to support Hezbollah, the Israeli official said of the cross-border conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

He said Hezbollah takes it orders from Iran….

 

No German Probe into Iran Leaders' Role in Killings, Reuter, May 15 

BONN - German prosecutors said on Thursday they were investigating three Iranian secret service officials over the 1992 killing of four Kurdish dissidents in Berlin,

but ruled out fresh inquiries into the part played by Iranian political leaders….

The court said the Iranian leaders who ordered the killing included Iran's president and its supreme religious leader.

Despite the court's emphatic accusation, the prosecutor's office said it would not pursue these leaders.

It said an arrest warrant issued last year against Iranian Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahiyan on suspicion of ordering the attack would remain in force ….

"In this situation it is not in the public interest to start an investigation against the committee members."…

The arrest warrants were issued on Wednesday, the office said, adding that the German authorities did not know where the suspects were at present.

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