Iran oil purge ahead

Press, 3 October 1979, Page 8

Iran oil purge ahead

jNZPA-Reuter Teheran I Iran’s new oil chief has i been reported as saying that I the State-run industry will ‘be purged at all levels, but | its export and sales policies [will remain unchanged for i the moment. ' Ali-Akbar Moinfar was speaking three days after he I was named Oil Minister and 'chairman of the National Iranian Oil Company in succession to the ousted Hassan Nazih. I The row over Mr Nazih ■ has caused the postponement; I of talks this week between Iran and the Western oil I iconsortium which used to; market most of the country’s oil. I The N.1.0.C. has been vir-j Itually a state within a state! | since it was set up in 195 b

ii with Mehdi Bazargan. now| >]the Prime Minister, as its] i!first managing director. Its! Ii employees always enjoyed t special privileges. ; But the Iranian press has! ■ suggested that in future control over all except purely ; technical matters would be ■[transferred to the newly I created Oil Ministry. I N.1.0.C. sources said that ■ Dr Bazargan had reinstated the remaining members of; the company’s board. i Huge demonstrations by: workers demanding that the] i board be purged were re-] I ported in the southern oil-; i fields last week. In a speech to the staff of; N.1.0.C.’s Teheran headquar-l ters. Dr Bazargan asked all) ■ the firm's employees to keep' i calm and carry on with their

[duties, according to the com-] ilpany sources. ;■ Dr Bazargan said Mr' I Nazih, his “friend and fel-| i low-combatant of 30 years,” ii had not been sacked but. ■ merely suspended until in-] vestigations into charges) ■ against him were completed. ■ according to the sources. [ Iran's unofficial Head of : State, Ayatollah Ruhollah liKhomeiny, has publicly] [threatened to try Mr Nazih! [for treason and the former; ■■oil chief has so far failed toi ■■answer a summons issued; • [by the revolutionary prose- ; cutor in Teheran. Mr Nazih’s present where-i [abouts is unknown. A [spokesman for the prose-; [cutor’s office said it had not' [issued any warrant for his] ■arrest.