Iran seals itself off from world as it probes ‘plot’

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 6

Iran seals itself off from world as it probes ‘plot’

NZPA-Reuter Teheran Iran sealed- itself off from the outside world early yesterday, banning departures and arrivals through its air, land, and sea frontiers for 48 hours.

The ban, decreed by the ruling Revolutionary Council, was imposed after an alleged coup conspiracy and apparently aimed at preventing plotters from fleeing the country.

The decision . followed hours of confusion triggered when the State radio broadcast an unauthorised and incorrect version of the order. Two bulletins both said that Iran’s frontiers and air space were closed with immediate effect for one week, on'the instructions of the revolutionary prosecutor-gene-ral.

A presidential spokesman -■ who later read out the offi"cial anouncement said the 48- • hour shut-down was in force “as of now.” meaning, just ‘after 1 a.m. local time. Aircraft already in Iranian air ’ space would be allowed to

land-at Teheran’s Mehrabad Airport, he added. The Revolutionary Council meeting, attended by President Abolhassanßani-Sadr, issued the dramatic communique after what observers said was apparently an extended session.

“Departures and arrivals through, air, sea, and land frontiers are banned for 48 hpurs as of this date,” the terse statement said, without giving a reason. Immediately after the earlier radio bulletin quoting the revolutionary prosecutorgenerar (Mr All Qodusi), the presidential press spokesman, Ali Garmarudi, said it was unauthorised.

“Only the President can give this order and he has not decided yet,” the spokesman, said.

The surprise move clearly appears linked to the conspiracy which President BaniSadr said he had uncovered last week.

The Government says the plotters were planning to bomb the home of the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Rubollah Khomeiny, and seize power for the exiled former Prime Minister, Shapour Baktiar.

At least 10 people were

killed and 300 arrests made after loyal forces smashed the reported conspiracy. Two Iranian Army lieutenants commandeered a/ helicopter last Friday, flew it to neighbouring Turkey, and asked for political asylum in the United States. Turkey yesterday agreed to return the helicopter and said it was considering an Iranian request for' the extradition of the officers. Mehrabad Airport, which handles about 120 incoming flights a week, was refusing to permit outgoing or incoming traffic, apart from aircraft already in Iranian air space. An Air France flight was diverted to Kuwait shortly after the radio bulletin because of the uncertainty, airport sources said.' The bungled announcement of the ban, and its revision from one week to two days, was unlikely to improve the strained relations between the State-run media and Mr Bani-Sadr.

He said in a speech earlier this week that 80 per cent of Iranians did not believe what they heard on radio and television, and his senior aides have complained of broadcasting bias against him.

Meanwhile, In the second round of public executions within a week, Iranian authorities made “examples” of seven drug traffickers yesterday by putting them to death in the heart of southern Teheran’s former brothel quarter. It may signal the beginning of a campaign of public executions, observers believe.

In Washington, the American Secretary of State (Mr Edmund Muskie) has said, that the freed American hostage, Richard Queen, will return to the United States at the. week-end.

Mr Queen, who was released by Iran last week, is now in a United States military hospital in West Germany where doctors have found that he is suffering from multiple sclerosis. The doctors did not link his ailment directly to his eight months in captivity but said it was well known that stress was a key factor in the development of the illness, which affects the muscular and nervous system. • '

They said that the disease was not contagious and there was no evidence that other United States hostages still in Iran might be suffering from it.