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April 3-7, 2000 / Farvardin 15-19, 1379
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* Sixth reformist has election cancelled
by conservative council
* U.S. warships stop Russian tanker
* Jannati says freeze with US good for people
* Iran: Not all Jewish suspects spies
* Hundreds protest in Paris in support of 13 Iranian Jews
* U.S. Jews plan protests to help arrested Iran Jews
* Pakistan, Iran seeking talks between Afghan rivals:
minister
Recent
* Khatami urged to settle Iran police-judiciary
row
* USDA could promote sales to sanctioned countries
* European Jewish Congress announces protest campaign
* Iran defence minister to visit Saudi, envoy says
* Denmark, Iran open "new chapter" in relations
* 55 tons of drugs seized in Iranian province
* Iran welcomes Albright's remarks
* Iran considers legal action against the United States
* Iran frees up ownership of videos
* Khatami's brother charged with libel
* Hajjarian attack suspects handed over to courts
* Hajjarian's party criticises rush trial of accused
* Alleged Jewish spies in trial can choose own lawyers: judge
* Senior Iranian rabbi meets spy case judge
* Khatami urges solidarity between Shiites and Sunnis
* Czechs ban exports for Iran nuke plant
* Iran court seeks custody of shooting suspects
* Khatami to visit Japan
* Iran denies "impeding" Middle East peace process
* Iran Jews want spy trial postponed
* Head of Russian college suspended
* Russia defends nuclear cooperation with Iran
* Press publish photos of Hajarian attack suspect
* New Year ends with freeing of fish
* Iran says slight alleviation of US embargo not enough
* Canada deports Iranian resistance woman
* Iran state media sues president's brother
* Theology student slain by attackers who asked about religion
* Accused Iranian Jews get lawyers
* Iran may hold another vote recount for
parliament seats
* Judge suing journalist for book on slayings
of intellectuals
* Kharrazi says Tehran's "solid" relations
with Russia
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Friday
April 7, 2000
* Sixth reformist has election cancelled by conservative council
TEHRAN, April 7 (AFP) - A conservative-led Iranian council has overturned
the election of another pro-reform MP, state radio said Friday, the sixth
reformist to have his victory cancelled since February's vote. The Council
of Guardians cited "irregularities" in cancelling the results
of a district in Tehran province where a reformist backer of President
Mohammad Khatami had ousted the conservative incumbent >>>
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* U.S. warships stop Russian tanker
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) - The U.S. Navy said today it was holding a Russian
oil tanker in the Persian Gulf while it does tests on oil found aboard
- ostensibly to see if it came from Iraq in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Royal Dutch/Shell Oil Co. said the oil on board was theirs and had come
from Iran. The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded the ship's immediate
release and accused the Navy of stopping it simply because it was Russian
>>>
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* Jannati says freeze with US good for people
TEHRAN, April 7 (AFP) - A leading conservative Iranian cleric on Friday
marked the 20th anniversary of the break in ties with the United States
with a sermon insisting the lack of diplomatic relations was good for Iran.
"Our problem with the United States is not a question of the (US)
embargo," said Ayatollah Ahmad Janati at weekly prayers at Tehran
university. "It's a question of the hostility of the American government
to the Iranian people." >>>
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* Iran: Not all Jewish suspects spies
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Some of the 13 Iranian Jews accused of espionage
are not considered spies, so they would not be subject to the death penalty
if convicted, an Iranian judicial official said Thursday. ``When we say
they are accused of espionage, we don't mean that all of them are spies
and all of them will get the same punishment,'' judicial spokesman Hussein
Mirmohammad Sadeqi said on a live state-run television program >>>
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* Hundreds protest in Paris in support of 13 Iranian Jews
PARIS, April 7 (AFP) - Several hundred people turned out in Paris on
Thursday to demand the release of 13 Iranian Jews accused of spying for
Israel and the United States, and under threat of execution. To cries of
"Free the Jews from Iran!" the protesters -- numbered at 5,000
by organisers, and 1,300 by police -- marked to the Palace of Justice,
where they were addressed by leaders of the European Jewish Congress, political
parties and pressure groups >>>
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* U.S. Jews plan protests to help arrested Iran Jews
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. Jewish groups urged worldwide prayers and
candlelight vigils on Friday in support of 13 Iranian Jews who are expected
to go on trial there next week on charges of spying for Israel. A coalition
of American Jewish groups in association with the World Jewish Congress
called for the prayers to take place on Saturday with the vigils to follow
during the course of the week. The trial is scheduled to start in the southern
Iranian city of Shiraz on Thursday >>>
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* Pakistan, Iran seeking talks between Afghan rivals: minister
ISLAMABAD, April 7 (AFP) - Pakistan and Iran are exploring ways to bring
Afghanistan's Taliban regime and the opposition to the negotiating table,
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsin Aminzadeh said here Friday. The
two countries "have a common position that the current situation in
Afghanistan is not in the interest of the people of that country as well
as for the peace and security of the region," he told reporters >>> FULL
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Thursday
April 6, 2000
* Khatami urged to settle Iran police-judiciary row
TEHRAN, April 6 (Reuters) - The head of Iran's secret police urged President
Mohammad Khatami to intervene to settle a row with the judiciary over the
custody of suspects held for shooting a top reformer. Intelligence Minister
Ali Yunesi accused the judiciary of cutting short a high-profile inquiry
by his services into last month's murder attempt against Saeed Hajjarian,
a close ally of Khatami, by demanding custody of the suspects >>> FULL TEXT
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* USDA could promote sales to sanctioned countries
WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - The Agriculture Department could issue
funds to promote U.S. food and agricultural sales in countries, such as
Iran and Cuba, which are currently subject to U.S. sanctions, a top official
said on Thursday. `There's no real ban on that now,'' Tim Galvin, administrator
of the Foreign Agricultural Service, told reporters after a speech to a
cattle industry group.>>>
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* European Jewish Congress announces protest campaign for 21 suspects
PARIS, April 6 (AFP) - The European Jewish Congress announced Wednesday
a pan-European protest campaign aimed at saving 13 Iranian Jews and eight
Iranian Muslims accused of spying in Iran and under threat of execution.
Several rallies have been slated for the next few days in a number of European
capitals, the Congress said in a statement sent to AFP >>>
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* Iran defence minister to visit Saudi, envoy says
DUBAI, April 6 (Reuters) - Iran's Defence Minister Admiral Ali Shamkhani
will visit Saudi Arabia in the next few weeks as relations between the
two Gulf states improve, the Iranian ambassador in Riyadh said on Thursday.
``I can confirm that the defence minister will visit Saudi Arabia during
the current month of Muharram,'' Ambassador Mohammad Reza Nouri said, referring
to the Islamic month which runs to early May >>>
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* Denmark, Iran open "new chapter" in relations
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - Denmark and Iran are opening a "new chapter"
in their relations, and those between the European Union and Iran, after
two decades of cool ties, the Danish foreign minister said Wednesday. "I
am the first Danish foreign minister to come to Iran in 25 years,"
Niels Helveg Petersen told a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart
Kamal Kharazi >>>
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* 55 tons of drugs seized in Iranian province
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - Iranian police announced on Wednesday that 55
tons of narcotics, including five tons of morphine and heroin, had been
seized in the eastern Khorassan province bordering Afghanistan in the past
year. The drugs were seized during 272 anti-narcotic operations, provincial
police chief General Bahram Noruzi told official Iranian news agency IRNA
>>>
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Wednesday
April 5, 2000
* Iran welcomes Albright's remarks
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's foreign minister on Wednesday welcomed a
recent overture by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to begin reversing
decades of mistrust, but said words needed to be supported by actions.
Albright's comments last month contained some positive points, Foreign
Minister Kamal Kharrazi said, according to the official Islamic Republic
News Agency >>>
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* Iran considers legal action against the United States
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - Iran said Wednesday it was considering legal
action against the United States for its support of the Shah and Iraq,
saying it was not satisfied with the "confessions" of US Secretary
of State Madeleine Albright. "Mrs Albright's admissions constitute
an acceptance of responsibility and we are considering legal action,"
because Washington must "pay reparations for its actions," Iranian
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said at a joint press conference with his
Danish counterpart Niels Helveg Peterson >>>
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* Iran frees up ownership of videos
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's Supreme Court has ruled it is no longer a
crime to possess videos or music cassettes that ``corrupt public ethics''
if they are for personal use, a further sign of expanding social freedoms
in the Islamic nation. ``Possession of immodest pictures, video films,
cassette tapes and the like is not considered an offense unless it is used
to promote corruption and prostitution,'' Ahmad Darzi, a court official,
said today. ``If it is for commercial or distribution purposes, then legal
action will be taken.'' >>>
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* Khatami's brother charged with libel
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - Iranian reformist leader Mohammad-Reza Khatami,
brother of President Mohammad Khatami, was formally charged with libel
Wednesday in his capacity as head of the daily Mosharekat. Press court
judge Said Mortazavi bailed him in the sum of 50 million rials (16,666
dollars at the official rate of exchange) pending trial, after four hours
of questioning >>>
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* Hajjarian attack suspects handed over to courts
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - The man accused of accused of shooting Iranian
reformist leader Said Hajarian and nine alleged accomplices have been handed
over to the courts ahead of their trial later this month, state radio reported
Tuesday. The trial of Said Asqar and the nine will take place before the
end of the first month of the Iranian year -- April 20 -- spokesman Hussein
Mir Mohammad Sadeghi said Monday, describing the suspects as "terrorists."
>>>
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* Hajjarian's party criticises rush trial of accused
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - The party of shot Iranain reformist Said Hajarian
claimed Wednesday that the trial of his alleged attackers was being rushed
through to cover up those who were really guilty. The Islamic Iran Participation
Front (IIPF) said in a statement that Tuesday's handing over of the case
to the hardline revolutionary courts was premature >>>
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* Alleged Jewish spies in trial can choose own lawyers: judge
TEHRAN, April 5 (AFP) - The 13 Iranian Jews accused of spying for Israel
will be able to have their own lawyers, the judge who will hear their case
at the Shiraz revolutionary court said Wednesday. Hossein Nurani told Iranian
Chief Rabbi Yusef Hamedani Cohen that since the accused had not chosen
their lawyers in time, "they would do well to use the appointed lawyers,"
Iranian radio said, quoting a spokesman for the judicial system >>> FULL
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* Senior Iranian rabbi meets spy case judge
TEHRAN, April 5 (Reuters) - The spiritual leader of Iran's Jews has
met the judge in the case of 13 co-religionists charged with spying on
behalf of Israel, Iranian state radio reported on Wednesday. The 13, detained
along with eight Moslems, could face the death penalty. "Rabbi Yousef
Haim Hamedani Cohen, religious leader of the Iranian Jews, met with the
judge on the case of the 13 Jews accused of spying," the radio said
>>>
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* Khatami urges solidarity between Shiites and Sunnis
KORDE KUV, Iran, April 5 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
called Wednesday for "more solidarity and understanding" between
Shiite and Sunni Muslims, days after the murder of a Shiite theology student
in a predominantly Sunni region. Khatami was speaking during a tour of
northeastern Iran near the border of Turkmenistan, home to a large Sunni
population while Iran as a whole is 90 percent Shiit >>>
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* Czechs ban exports for Iran nuke plant
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - Acting on a U.S. request, Parliament has
approved a law banning all Czech exports to a nuclear plant in Iran. The
government-drafted bill, approved late Tuesday, was aimed at preventing
the ZVVZ Milevsko company from participating in the construction of the
Bushehr nuclear plant on the shore of the Persian Gulf >>>
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Tuesday
April 4, 2000
* Iran court seeks custody of shooting suspects
TEHRAN, April 3 (Reuters) - A top Iranian court official called on the
secret police on Monday to hand over suspects held for the shooting of
a top reformer, to prevent possible mistreatment during questioning, Iran's
news agency IRNA said. ``To prevent any conceivable punishment, threats,
pressure, or injury to the accused, it is necessary that they be turned
over to the justice ministry's department in Tehran...so that interrogations
are carried out under the supervision of a judge,'' IRNA quoted department
head Abbasali Alizadeh as saying >>>
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* Khatami to visit Japan
TEHRAN, April 4 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami will visit
Japan shortly, after receiving an official invitation brought by Japan's
deputy foreign minister, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.
The visit -- whose date has yet to be fixed -- was announced at the end
of a meeting between Ryozo Kato and Hassan Rowhani, secretary of Iran's
Supreme National Security Council. >>>
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* Iran denies "impeding" Middle East peace process
TEHRAN, April 4 (AFP) - Iran does not favour the Middle East peace process,
but has done nothing to thwart it, a top conservative official said here
Tuesday. "The Islamic Republic of Iran does not believe the so-called
Middle East peace process to be effective, but so far has not taken any
concrete steps to impede it," said Hassan Rowhani, Secretary of Iran's
highest security body, the Supreme Security Council, quoted by the official
IRNA news agency >>>
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* Iran Jews want spy trial postponed
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's Jewish Society has called for a delay in
the espionage trial of 13 Iranian Jews and has asked that they be freed
on bail to attend religious ceremonies later this month. In a statement
faxed to The Associated Press on Tuesday, the society also demanded the
suspects - whose trial is to begin April 13 in Shiraz, 550 miles south
of the capital, Tehran - be allowed to meet their families and choose their
own lawyers >>>
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* Head of Russian college suspended
MOSCOW (AP) - The head of a Russian engineering university has been
suspended following allegations that the school helped Iran develop missiles
by teaching Iranian students, a newspaper said Tuesday. Yuri Savelyev,
the rector of Baltic State Technical University in St. Petersburg, was
suspended by an Education Ministry decree in early March but was still
receiving his pay, the daily Moscow Times reported, citing a ministry spokeswoman
>>>
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* Russia defends nuclear cooperation with Iran
MOSCOW, April 4 (AFP) - Russia insisted Tuesday its nuclear ties with
Iran respected international agreements, and defended Tehran's right to
develop its civilian atomic energy industry, Interfax reported. "The
nature of Iran's civilian nuclear programme has been confirmed by recognised
international organisations such as the IAEA," said foreign ministry
spokesman Alexander Yakovenko >>>
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Monday
April 3, 2000
* Press publish photos of Hajarian attack suspect
TEHRAN, April 3 (AFP) - The Iranian press published photos Monday of
the man suspected of shooting reformist leader Said Hajarian on March 12,
and of his six alleged accomplices. The men, who appear to be between 20
and 30 years old, are accused of attempted assassination by a "terrorist
group", the press said, with Said Asfqar alleged to be the gunman
who shot Hajarian >>>
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* New Year ends with freeing of fish
TEHRAN, April 1 (AFP) - Iranian children released goldfish into rivers
and lakes around the country Saturday to mark the last day of new year's
festivities in accordance with Zoroastrian tradition. This is the first
year that Iranians have been free to observe ancient Persian Zoroastrian
traditions unhampered, starting with the fire festival March 13 through
Noruz -- or New Year's Day -- on March 20, and then Sizdeh Bedar Saturday
>>>
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* Iran says slight alleviation of US embargo not enough
TEHRAN, April 3 (AFP) - Iran said Monday that the US decision to partially
lift its economic embargo of Iran was "completely insufficient"
as the oil embargo remained intact. Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh
said the move was "completely insufficient, because it's the oil embargo
that really counts." >>>
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* Canada deports Iranian resistance woman
OTTAWA, April 3 (Reuters) - The Canadian government on Monday ordered
the deportation, probably to the United States, of an Iranian woman who
was a member of the armed opposition group Mujahideen Khalq. Citizenship
Minister Elinor Caplan told reporters that the woman, Mahnaz Samadi, was
ordered deported because the Mujahideen Khalq was deemed to be a terrorist
organization >>>
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* Iran state media sues president's brother
TEHRAN, April 2 (AFP) - Iran's conservative-run state media are among
the plaintiffs who have filed suit againt Mohammad-Reza Khatami, the brother
of the president and a top pro-reform politician, his lawyer said Sunday.
Khatami -- who led reformists to a sweeping victory in February's parliamentary
elections, ending the longstanding conservative majority in the legislature
-- was summoned Thursday to appear in press court on libel and defamation
charges >>>
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* Theology student slain by attackers who asked about religion
TEHRAN, April 2 (AFP) - A theology student was slain in a Sunni Muslim
majority city of predominantly Shiite Muslim Iran by assailants who first
questioned him about his religious beliefs, the Asr-e Arzadegan newspaper
reported Sunday. Shamseddin Kiani, 18, was kidnapped, forced into a car,
beaten and burned in the southeastern city of Zahedan in Sistan Baluchestan
province by unidentified attackers >>>
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* Accused Iranian Jews get lawyers
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's judiciary has assigned lawyers to defend
13 Iranian Jews expected to go on trial this month on espionage charges,
Iranian radio reported Monday. ``The accused Jews refused to introduce
lawyers and therefore lawyers have been appointed for them,'' the state
radio quoted judiciary spokesman Hossein Mirmohammad Sadeqi as saying >>>
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* Iran may hold another vote recount for Tehran parliament seats
TEHRAN, April 2 (AFP) - Iran may hold yet another recount of votes in
February's legislative elections in which reformists behind President Mohammad
Khatami ousted their conservative rivals, an election official said Sunday.
The recount would concern several of the 30 seats representing Tehran,
all but one of which went to pro-Khatami reformists. The 30th went to former
president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who was backed by conservatives and
moderates >>>
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* Judge suing journalist for book on slayings of intellectuals
TEHRAN, April 3 (AFP) - An Iranian religious court judge is suing a
pro-reform author who wrote that the judge was involved in a series of
murders of intellectuals and opposition figures in 1998, the Ham Mihan
newspaper said Monday. Author Hamid Reza Kaviani, who is also deputy editor
of the pro-reform newspaper Asr-e-ma, was summoned to appear in court June
28 for his investigative book on the killings, Ham Mihan said >>> FULL TEXT
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* Kharrazi says Tehran's "solid" relations with Russia
key to Middle East
TEHRAN, April 1 (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said
his country's solid relations with Russia were crucial to the Middle East
and central Asia, the official IRNA news agency reported Saturday. "Russia
and Iran have played an important role for peace and security in the entire
region. That's why the situation in the region depends upon our relations,"
which he described as "strong and solid." >>>
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