Back to Brief on Iran
DUBAI - An exiled Iranian opposition group on Saturday blasted France for releasing a Frenchman of Iranian origin who was awaiting trial on charges of involvement in the 1990 murder of an Iranian dissident.
Judicial sources in Paris said on Friday that Mojtaba Mashhady, 42, had been released on Tuesday on condition he not leave the country and regularly report to police until his trial at a future unspecified date.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran said in a statement faxed to Reuters that Mashhady's release appeared to be connected with an expected visit to France by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami next month.
"The Iranian Resistance strongly condemns the release of this terrorist as an advance payment to the criminal mullah ruling Iran," the statement said.
Khatami cancelled a trip six months ago because wine was due to be served at a state banquet.
In 1995, Mashhady was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for criminal collusion in a terrorist enterprise.
The court which sentenced him in 1995
found he informed Iranian secret agents about exiles and dissidents.
Mullahs’ Terrorists Assassinate an Iranian-Kurdish Dissident, Iran Zamin News Agency, October 2
Agents of the clerical Intelligence Ministry shot and killed Mr. Habib Fatehi, a supporter of the Organization for Nationalist and Islamic Struggle in Iranian Kurdistan (Khabat) on Friday, October 1, near the Iraqi city of Sulaimanya.
According to a statement by the National
Council of Resistance "This assassination brings to 36 the number of Iranian
dissidents murdered abroad during Khatami’s tenure."
Khatami’s Government Rejects Clinton’s Request for Help over Saudi Bombing, State-Controlled Daily Tehran Times, October 3
TEHRAN - Iran has rejected a written request by U.S. President Bill Clinton to his Iranian counterpart for help in tracing those responsible for the 1996 bombing of a U.S. military housing complex in Saudi Arabia, Iranian television quoted by DPA as reporting.
"The issue is an internal issue of
Saudi Arabia and Iran, has nothing to do with the case," Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi was quoted by the television as saying.
Mullahs’ Leader Calls for End to Factional In-Fighting, Agence France Presse, October 1
TEHRAN - Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Friday for a reconciliation of Iran’s factions during celebrations of the centenary of the birth of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, overshadowed by recent tensions.
"The country and the revolution are in need of unity," said Khamenei, who led the special weekly prayers.
"The two main forces of the regime, which are faithful to the revolution, must reconcile themselves in order to isolate those who do not belong to us," he said in the presence of President Mohammad Khatami.
The supreme leader called on all top officials from both factions to prevent giving the people the image that they are caught up in a fierce struggle.
"Do not do anything that might lead the common people into thinking that the leaders of the political factions are quibbling and fighting amongst each other," he said.
Press Fed up With Khatami’s Silence, Reuters, October 2
TEHRAN - Two leading Iranian journalists appealed to Khatami on Saturday to break his silence on the mounting pressures against his allies in the press.
In an open letter to the president, Hamid Reza Jalaiepour and Mashallah Shamsolvaezin asked Khatami to shield them from their powerful critics.
The pair have been associated with three newspapers shut down by the authorities. The last one, Neshat, was closed only last month by the hardline Press Court for insulting Islamic values and the publisher sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Jalaiepour and Shamsolvaezin also appealed to the new head of the judiciary to spare them from political pressures.
"Either tell us officially that our activities are illegal, or that they are not in line with the national interest, and in such a case we will bitterly accept to remain silent and inactive...
"Or tell us clearly from which government body we are to get the minimum of political and professional security to continue our activities," they said in their letter to Khatami.
In their letter to the Khatami, they said it was time the president stood up to the hardliners in defense of the independent press. uters, October 2
DUBAI - An exiled Iranian opposition group on Saturday blasted France for releasing a Frenchman of Iranian origin who was awaiting trial on charges of involvement in the 1990 murder of an Iranian dissident.
Judicial sources in Paris said on Friday that Mojtaba Mashhady, 42, had been released on Tuesday on condition he not leave the country and regularly report to police until his trial at a future unspecified date.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran said in a statement faxed to Reuters that Mashhady's release appeared to be connected with an expected visit to France by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami next month.
"The Iranian Resistance strongly condemns the release of this terrorist as an advance payment to the criminal mullah ruling Iran," the statement said.
Khatami cancelled a trip six months ago because wine was due to be served at a state banquet.
In 1995, Mashhady was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for criminal collusion in a terrorist enterprise.
The court which sentenced him in 1995
found he informed Iranian secret agents about exiles and dissidents.
Mullahs’ Terrorists Assassinate an Iranian-Kurdish Dissident, Iran Zamin News Agency, October 2
Agents of the clerical Intelligence Ministry shot and killed Mr. Habib Fatehi, a supporter of the Organization for Nationalist and Islamic Struggle in Iranian Kurdistan (Khabat) on Friday, October 1, near the Iraqi city of Sulaimanya.
According to a statement by the National
Council of Resistance "This assassination brings to 36 the number of Iranian
dissidents murdered abroad during Khatami’s tenure."
Khatami’s Government Rejects Clinton’s Request for Help over Saudi Bombing, State-Controlled Daily Tehran Times, October 3
TEHRAN - Iran has rejected a written request by U.S. President Bill Clinton to his Iranian counterpart for help in tracing those responsible for the 1996 bombing of a U.S. military housing complex in Saudi Arabia, Iranian television quoted by DPA as reporting.
"The issue is an internal issue of
Saudi Arabia and Iran, has nothing to do with the case," Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi was quoted by the television as saying.
Mullahs’ Leader Calls for End to Factional In-Fighting, Agence France Presse, October 1
TEHRAN - Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Friday for a reconciliation of Iran’s factions during celebrations of the centenary of the birth of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, overshadowed by recent tensions.
"The country and the revolution are in need of unity," said Khamenei, who led the special weekly prayers.
"The two main forces of the regime, which are faithful to the revolution, must reconcile themselves in order to isolate those who do not belong to us," he said in the presence of President Mohammad Khatami.
The supreme leader called on all top officials from both factions to prevent giving the people the image that they are caught up in a fierce struggle.
"Do not do anything that might lead the common people into thinking that the leaders of the political factions are quibbling and fighting amongst each other," he said.
Press Fed up With Khatami’s Silence, Reuters, October 2
TEHRAN - Two leading Iranian journalists appealed to Khatami on Saturday to break his silence on the mounting pressures against his allies in the press.
In an open letter to the president, Hamid Reza Jalaiepour and Mashallah Shamsolvaezin asked Khatami to shield them from their powerful critics.
The pair have been associated with three newspapers shut down by the authorities. The last one, Neshat, was closed only last month by the hardline Press Court for insulting Islamic values and the publisher sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Jalaiepour and Shamsolvaezin also appealed to the new head of the judiciary to spare them from political pressures.
"Either tell us officially that our activities are illegal, or that they are not in line with the national interest, and in such a case we will bitterly accept to remain silent and inactive...
"Or tell us clearly from which government body we are to get the minimum of political and professional security to continue our activities," they said in their letter to Khatami.
In their letter to the Khatami, they said it was time the president stood up to the hardliners in defense of the independent press.