DATE=7/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251997
TITLE=IRAN-STUDENTS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE PRO-REFORM GOVERNMENT OF IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMMED 
KHATAMI WARNED THREE CONSERVATIVE NEWSPAPERS WEDNESDAY THAT THEY 
HAD VIOLATED THE COUNTRY'S PRESS LAW ON PUBLISHING CLASSIFIED 
MATERIAL.  IRANIAN STUDENTS HAVE ALSO CRITICIZED OPPOSITION 
HARDLINERS, FOLLOWING RECENT PROTESTS SEEN BY MANY AS THE WORST 
SINCE IRAN'S 1979 REVOLUTION.  DETAILS FROM LISA BRYANT IN CAIRO.

TEXT:  THE GOVERNMENT WARNING CAME FROM IRAN'S CULTURE AND 
ISLAMIC GUIDANCE MINISTRY, TARGETING NEWSPAPERS THAT PRINTED AN 
OPEN LETTER FROM 24 SENIOR REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS.  THE LETTER, 
PUBLISHED MONDAY, ACCUSES PRESIDENT KHATAMI OF LEADING THE 
COUNTRY TO ANARCHY THROUGH HIS POLITICAL REFORMS.

IRONICALLY, IT WAS A SIMILAR GOVERNMENT WARNING THAT ULTIMATELY 
CLOSED DOWN A PRO-REFORMIST NEWSPAPER EARLIER THIS MONTH.  THAT 
CLOSURE, ALONG WITH TOUGH NEW PRESS RESTRICTIONS AND A POLICE 
RAID ON STUDENT HOSTELS, SENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ON TO
THE STREETS.  THEIR PROTESTS SPUN INTO LARGER  DEMONSTRATIONS AND
RIOTS, TRIGGERING A MASSIVE, GOVERNMENT-ORGANIZED 
COUNTER-DEMONSTRATION LAST WEEK.

ON TUESDAY, IRANIAN STUDENT LEADERS SAID THEY FULLY SUPPORTED 
PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S REFORMS AND WARNED OF FURTHER UNREST, IF THE 
REFORMS WERE BLOCKED.  THEY ALSO SAID IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE 
REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS HAD OVER-STEPPED THEIR AUTHORITY BY 
CRITICIZING THE KHATAMI GOVERNMENT. 

BUT IRAN'S BIGGEST STUDENT GROUP, THE OFFICE OF CONSOLIDATION AND
UNITY, SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO TO BLAME FOR THE UNREST.  IT 
SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO MEET THE COUNTRY'S NEEDS, 
AND HAD IGNORED CALLS FOR CHANGE. 

THE STUDENTS' REMARKS ARE THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF CHARGES AND  
COUNTER-CHARGES BY STUDENTS, HARD-LINERS AND REFORMISTS IN THE 
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT OVER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNREST OF THE 
PAST TWO WEEKS.

BESIDES THE KHATAMI REGIME, HARD-LINERS ALSO BLAME WHAT THEY CALL
ZIONIST AND AMERICAN INFLUENCE FOR SPARKING THE PROTESTS.

                        /// REST OPT ///

ON MONDAY, IRAN'S STATE TELEVISION REPORTED THAT A DETAINED 
STUDENT LEADER HAD CONFESSED TO RECEIVING MONEY FROM EXILED 
DISSIDENTS, AND THAT HE HAD TRAVELED TO THE UNITED STATES AND 
TURKEY TO RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO SPREAD VIOLENCE.

STUDENTS CLAIM THAT 14-HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE 
RIOTS.  THE FIGURE, WHICH REPORTEDLY INCLUDES MANY WHO ARE  NOT  
STUDENTS, HAS  NOT  BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED.  AT LEAST THREE
PEOPLE DIED IN THE VIOLENCE.   (SIGNED) 

NEB/LB/PCF/WTW

21-Jul-99 10:18 AM EDT (1418 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.