Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Report will rip Iran on rights Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 15:23:03 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \HD Report will rip Iran on rights \BY Andrew Borowiec \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The United Nations is about to receive a scathing report on human rights violations by Iran at a time when the United States is seeking to halt massive sales of sophisticated weapons to Tehran, U.N. sources said yesterday. The report's release, initially set for today, has been delayed, probably until next week. U.N. sources said the report will be the basis for a resolution by the U.N. General Assembly condemning Iran. Veteran U.N. trouble-shooter Reynaldo Galindo Pohl prepared the 100-page report, which includes findings by the United Nations and reputable human rights organizations. The debate on Iran's human rights record came against the backdrop of feelers from Tehran for a dialogue with the incoming Clinton administration and intensified U.S. efforts to halt sales of militarily sensitive technology to Iran. Representatives of the Group of Seven nations, consisting of the United States and its top economic partners, are to meet in Europe tomorrow to discuss trade with Iran. Washington has succeeded in persuading China and Argentina to stop sales to Iran of equipment that could be used to make nuclear weapons. But efforts to persuade other nations to eliminate or reduce their growing sales to Iran are expected to be more difficult. At stake is about $10 billion a year in trade, ranging from sophisticated weapons to laptop computers. Iran uses profits from oil exports to make the purchases. Few countries are inclined to give up such a lucrative market, particularly in a recession. And the United States has banned sales to Iran on a selective basis, prompting criticism from other nations. Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has accused Washington of magnifying his government's weapons purchases "to alarm the regional countries in order to sell them more weapons." But Iran does not deny its ambition to become the leading power in the Persian Gulf. It has bought armor, jets and submarines from the former Soviet Union and missiles from North Korea and China. During the summer Iran seized three islands in the Strait of Hormuz, the only entrance to the Gulf, and it has been fortifying them. Its nuclear research is said to be advanced. Iranian officials say it is for peaceful purposes, but CIA Director Robert Gates says Iran could have a nuclear bomb by 2000. Although Mr. Rafsanjani is considered a moderate in some capitals, opponents of the regime and human rights activists say repression increased after a wave of strikes. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM