Blasts rock Teheran

TEHERAN, JULY 16. Several homes were damaged in violent explosions which rocked a Teheran district that houses the Intelligence Ministry, Iranian state radio reported today.

Some 12 explosions shook the north-east of Teheran last evening, the radio said, but no details were given on what caused the blasts or on any casualties.

However, there were unconfirmed reports that the Ministry had been attacked by units of the armed Iranian Resistance and that several people had been killed or wounded.

Ambulances raced to the area as soldiers called on residents to keep calm and stay indoors, eye witnesses said.

An Intelligence Ministry spokesman confirmed to AFP that explosions had occurred but said there were no casualties.

In a statement received by the AFP in Nicosia, the Iranian armed resistance, the People's Mujahideen, said ``several of its military units'' had launched an attack on the Ministry firing 20 82mm mortar rounds. It said the Ministry building sustained ``substantial damage'' and that ``a number of Intelligence Ministry agents were killed or wounded''. The Mujahideen said the attack on the heavily guarded Ministry was in response to last week's `suppression' of student demonstrations in Teheran.

Students stage sit-in

Leaders of Iran's main students' organisation, the DTV, staged today a sit-in and a one-day hunger strike in front of the Majlis (Parliament) to protest against the acquittal of the former Teheran police commander who was charged with responsibility for the attack on protesting students last year.

In a fax sent to foreign news bureaus in Teheran, the DTV announced a sit-in and a `one-day political fasting' in front of the Majlis in protest against last week's acquittal of Gen. Farhad Nazari.

- UNI, DPA, Reuters

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