Iran yields ground on Kurdish autonomy
The Sass (1837-1985); Nov 3, 1979; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Baltimore Ssao, The (1837-1986)
ITf yields ground
on Kurdish autonomy
Mahabad, lrflteuter)—A govern-
ment peace minion arrived in this rebel
capital yesterday and announced that the
Iranian authorities were prepared to con-
cede some form of self-rule to the Kurdish
provinces
The three-man team—Hashem Saba-
ghian. the interior minister, Dariush
Forouhar, the internal affairs minister,
and Ezzatollah Sahabi, the planning and
budget director—flew by helicopter into
the army-held Mahabad barracks.
They left by car without escort for the
local governor's office, where they got a
friendly reception from about 3,000 Kurds
chanting “Long live the Rurdish Demo-
c'ratic Party” and waving portraits of the
Kurdish spiritual leader. Sheik Ezzeddin
liosseini.
There had been speculatiun that the
ministerial visit might be canceled after
an ambush last night on the road between
the Kurdish towns of Sardasht and Saneh
in which, the state radio said, an army co-
lonel and 12 soldiers were killed.
Rebel sources in Raneh said the am-
bush. sparked fierce fighting in the town
between guerrillas who took control two
days ago and army and revolutionary
guard forces. Rebels said they bad killed
55 government troops.
The sources said the clashes were still
going on.
The crowd which welcomed the gov-
ernment ministers included armed guer-
rillas. The Kurds applauded when Mr.
Forouhar told -them: “Your legitimate
rights will be met by the government.”
On Kurdish demands for limited self-
e said: “The Islamic government of
lieves that these demands are le-
gitimate and must be met. The mainte-
nance of cultural characteristics and local
control of the internal affairs of the prov-
ince have always been acceptable to the
government.”
Mr;Sabaghlan said after talking with
local Kutds: “We were very hopeful, and
now we are more hopeful than ever.”
Mr. Forouhar held out hope to other
ethnic minorities when he saId: “The Is-
lamic Republic of I as the capac ity to
give Individual a soc a) freedoms to
Shia and Sunni Muslimsi and ethnk? mi-
noritieL”
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