DATE=7/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251634
TITLE=IRAN-STUDENT UNREST (L)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  STUDENTS IN IRAN HAVE HELD PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS 
FOR THE FOURTH DAY.  RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST 
BUREAU IN CAIRO THAT ANALYSTS SAY THE PROTESTS ARE THE MOST 
SIGNIFICANT EXPRESSION OF POPULAR DISCONTENT IN IRAN FOR DECADES.

TEXT:  THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AGAIN CONVERGED ON TEHRAN UNIVERSITY
FOR A MASS SIT-IN (SUNDAY).  THE STUDENTS ALSO ATTEMPTED TO BLOCK
ROADS IN DOWNTOWN TEHRAN.  POLICE HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN ORDERED TO
STAY AWAY TO AVOID MORE VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS.

DURING PROTESTS THURSDAY, ISLAMIC HARDLINERS CLASHED WITH 
STUDENTS AND POLICE LATER RAIDED A STUDENT HOSTEL.  IRANIAN 
NEWSPAPERS REPORT AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WERE HOSPITALIZED AND A 
THOUSAND ARRESTED.  SENIOR IRANIAN POLITICIANS ALSO SAY SOME 
STUDENTS WERE KILLED WHEN POLICE BURNED DORMITORY ROOMS, BROKE 
DOWN DOORS AND FIRED SHOTS.

THE RAID WAS STRONGLY CONDEMNED BY IRAN'S MODERATE PRESIDENT 
MOHAMMED KHATAMI AND HIS POLITICAL ALLIES.  PRESIDENT KHATAMI 
CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF IRAN'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL 
AND SAID THOSE WHO ORDERED THE RAID WOULD BE PUNISHED.  THE 
COUNCIL ALSO SAID IT WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ACTIVITIES OF HARDLINE
VIGILANTE GROUPS, WHICH REPORTEDLY HAVE LOOSE TIES TO THE ISLAMIC
ESTABLISHMENT.

IRAN'S HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER, MOSTAFA MOIN, HANDED IN HIS 
RESIGNATION SATURDAY TO PROTEST THE POLICE ACTION.  BUT IRANIAN 
RADIO REPORTED PRESIDENT KHATAMI REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT.

THE WAVE OF PROTESTS WAS SPARKED WHEN IRANIAN AUTHORITIES CLOSED 
THE NATION'S LEADING REFORMIST NEWSPAPER, CALLED "SALAM".  
ANALYSTS SAY THE DEMONSTRATIONS REPRESENT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT 
EXPRESSION OF POPULAR DISCONTENT SINCE THE 1979 REVOLUTION THAT 
OVERTHREW THE SHAH AND BROUGHT IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE CLERGY TO 
POWER.

SATURDAY, SMALLER PROTESTS ERUPTED OUTSIDE THE IRANIAN CAPITAL, 
AND IN TEHRAN MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND PEOPLE GATHERED IN THE 
STREETS.

THE STUDENTS ARE RALLYING BEHIND PRESIDENT KHATAMI, WHO HAS BEEN 
BATTLING WITH ISLAMIC HARDLINERS FOR REAL CONTROL OF IRAN SINCE 
HE CAME TO POWER TWO-YEARS AGO.

MANY STUDENTS AND OTHER KHATAMI SUPPORTERS SAY TOO MUCH POWER IS 
IN THE HANDS OF THE CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT AND 
IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER, THE AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI.  THEY SAY 
DESPITE REFORMS MADE BY PRESIDENT KHATAMI TO INCREASE MANY 
PERSONAL FREEDOMS FOR IRANIANS, RELIGIOUS HARDLINERS STILL 
CONTROL THE NATION'S ARMED FORCES, INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, RADIO 
AND TELEVISION, JUDICIARY, AND -- AS PROVEN BY THE RAID ON THE 
STUDENTS -- THE POLICE.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RE/ALW/RAE

11-Jul-99 7:53 AM EDT (1153 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.