Both the Carter Administration and Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R. NY) suggested restraint by Americans today in the face of demonstrations in Iran against the United States, including a flog burning and threats against Javits and his wife, Marion.
A high State Department official told important sections of the American media last night that Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkhali, head of Iran’s revolutionary tribunals, who had declared the Javitses were wanted in Iran for “corruption,” was not a member of the Iranian government.
Besieged by the press for a statement, Javits said, “The Senate has spoken to the Iranian people as friends and to the government of Iran with which we wish to be friendly.” He pointed out that the resolution on Iran, which he had drafted and which was adopted last week by the Senate without dissent, “speaks for itself.”
Javits added: “I see no further need for any statement or comment. I hope very much that the people of Iran and the government of Iran will see the situation in that light.” Previously, he dismissed the Iranian allegations as “just ridiculous.”
The Senate resolution cautioned the Iranian government against the continuation of executions without due process and against attempts to carry out criminal or terrorist actions against persons in the United States.
SAYS JAVITS WAS NOT THREATENED
The State Department would not identify the official who communicated with the media when his action was brought up at today’s news briefing. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned that he is Henry Precht head of the Department’s Iranian section.
A State Department official, who asked not to be identified, said the Iranian government had not threatened Javits. “It is my understanding,” he said, Ayatollah khalkhali “is not a member of the government.” He acknowledged that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini “obviously is a dominant force in Iran.”
The official said that the purpose of the advice to the media on this aspect was to “clarify” what the Iranians said. Obviously fearful of disrupting the oil supply from Iran which mainly goes to Europe, the Department expressed “concern” over the Javits case and passed off the Khomeini statement that the U.S. is a “snake.”
Department spokesman Kenneth Brown said “We want to develop sound relationship with the Iranian government.” He noted that while the Iranians had urged delay in the arrival of the new U.S. Ambassador to Teheran, Walter L. Cutler, in view of the Senate resolution the U.S. felt “Cutler should go there as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, according to reports reaching here from Teheran, a major and a sergeant in the Shah’s army were executed today and two brigadier generals were given long prison terms. One of them, Gen. Manoucher Vajdi, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, after being accused of collaborating with the secret services of Israel, the United States, Britain and West Germany.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
