5/27/2011 Article - Untitled Article
Publication: Guardian 1821-2000; Date:Apr26, 1979; Section: None; Page: 7
Khomeini gives Libyans
cool reception in Iran
From Liz Thurgood
in Tehran
Iran's religious leaders are
ke pW a low profile about the
arrival here of a large Libyan
delegation, in the hope of dis-
covering the whereabouts of
the missing Imam Mossssa
Sadr,
The delegation of 70 men,
led by the Prime Minister,
Major Abdutlalam Jaloud, went
to the holy city of Qons after
arriving for talks with Ayatol-
lah Ruhollah Khomeini But
their reception was reportedly
chilly and yesterday. the An-
tollah was quoted as kiting
the Libyans: “The problems
can only be solved by ihe Tri-
poli Government.”
The Libyans are believed to
be keen to reestablish diplo-
matIc relations which were
broken when the Shalt seized
the three small islands of Aim
Musa and the Two Tombs foi-
lowing Britain's withdrawal
from the Persian Guif eight
years ago. They are also re-
portedly trying to prepare for
a visit by Colonei Gliadafy.
But Iranian sources say
there wi4l—fre-—uo meeting be-
tween the Colonel and the
Ayatollah until the Libyans
explain the whereabouts of
Imain Sadi-, who disappeared
last September during Moslem
celebrations. Moussa Sadr, an
Iranian by birth, studied under
, releI4sih Khomeini before
travelling to the Lebanon,
where he became a powerful
political loader among the
Sh?ite Moslems in Beirut.
The Libyans say that the
Imam left Tripoli for Rome
after a stormy meeting with
Colonel GhadaIy. There he dis-
appeared. Rut the Iranians are
holding the Llby £ Ofl
sible. and a month ago, Ayatol-
lah Mahmeud Taleghani, one
of Iran's most respected rail-
giofisieaders, said Ihat be
believed the Imam was dead.
Yesterday's press carried a
small statement from Major
Jaioud blaming ‘the big
powers” for exaggerating the
Mouisa Sadr affair. and so pie'
venting the Colonel from visit-
ing Qoin.
Meanwhile, the Iranian
Prime Minister. Dr Batrgww,
has renewed his appeal for
national unIty, and warned of
grave dangers” if Iran's re-
volutionaries Insist orsSring
power with the Government. Dr
Bazargan said that the contro-
versial Imam committees, pro-
fessing sincerity and
revolutionary ideals, were “tn-
terfering with everything,
making it difficult to get any-
thing done-”
The Prime Minister said tue
spirit of revenge was under-
mining his programme for re-
construction, In a reference to
the revolutionsry Islamic
courts which have sent nearly
170 collaborators of the Shah's
regime before the firing squad.
Reuler odds: Another 24
political prisonera have been
released in Iran, and revolu-
tionary tribu have passed
11 pnsnn sentences, according
to Tehran newspapers yester-
day.
One naval lieutenant was
acquitted aftsr trial at the
Gulf port of Bandar Abyss,
and 23 prisoners were released
from Tehran's main gaol. Four
agents of the Shah's secret
police, Savak, were among
those who recaived prison sen-
tences.
Meanwhile, iran's new revo-
lutionary Government yester-
day decided on new pay scales
for Government employees,
Under the new scales, the
minimum monthly wage in the
civil service will be about LiSO,
while tha Prime Minister and
other senior officials will earn
a maximum of £1,400.
Nicholoa Cuniming-finice
adds: Iran 's Kurdish Democratic
Party tbfl insed that
500 people had been killed in
fighting in Kurdish areas in the
North-west country dur-
ing the last six dsys.
Army tanks and armed
groups of Turkish-speaking
Azerhaijsnis and lalamic revo-
lutionary guards were advanc-
ing into Kurdish villages last
night, bu , . .L i 5 4nd pillaging,
the KDP claimed,
Official radio repor ls said
that the town of Naqhaden was
now quiet, but the KDP spokes-
men In Tehrsn expressed fears
that the continuing thrust by
the Army and other groups into
Kurdish arens was driving the
nut of controi. The
KDP claimed that Army heli-
copters opened fire on the in-
habitants of the village of
.Aliabad on Tuesday, killing five
and wounding five more.
© Guardian News and Media Limited
Millions of Iranians lost their jobs after the revolution,
and many a mass meeting in Tehraet yesterday
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