State Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (r) shakes hands with the head of Iraq's Islamic Party, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, in Tehran on Sunday. (IRNA Photo)

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--State Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in a meeting with the head of Iraq's Islamic Party, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, on Sunday warned against the irreparable consequences of Iraqi people's failure to participate in political activities.
According to a report released by SECÕs Public Relations Office, Rafsanjani referred to the critical situation in Iraq and said a delay in elections will further tighten the grip of occupying forces over the destiny of the Iraqi people and their national resources, IRNA reported.
"Despite paying excessive costs, the US is mainly concerned about securing its own interests and reluctant to leave the country," he said.
He underlined that no other factor is more pivotal in saving Iraq than holding elections and letting the people control their own destiny.
For his part, Abdul-Hamid explained the latest developments in his country and said the US forces in Iraq proved their country to be the number one enemy of the Muslim world.
"The US has occupied Iraq to support the Zionist regime and with the hope of controlling the regionÕs oil resources," he said.
He reiterated the decision to unify the Sunnis and Shiites.
Referring to the attempts of Iraqi enemies to sow seeds of hostility by resorting to mysterious killings of prominent Iraqi scientific and political figures, Abdul-Hamid said, "As we approach the elections, the enemies are attempting to create the impression of insecurity and prove that conditions are unfavorable for the upcoming polls."
Earlier on Saturday, Abdul-Hamid also met with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi who said Iran wants a secure and stable Iraq, stressing that the presence of all Iraqi groups on the political scene would play a decisive role in administration of the country and withdrawal of foreigners.
Kharrazi added that Iran enjoys a common stance with different Iraqi political parties.
"The Islamic Republic, despite (former Iraqi president) Saddam Hussein's oppressive rule, does not accept Iraq's occupation and is against it," he said, adding that the delay in Iraqi elections would increase insecurity.
The two sides discussed the latest developments in Iraq, particularly holding of elections in that country.
ÒSaddam Hussein oppressed the Iraqi nation and inflicted damage on regional countries and Iran,Ó he said.
He, however, noted that the United States attacked Iraq to destroy the country's infrastructure.
Abdul-Hamid declared that terrorist groups and Israel's intelligence service Mossad are currently causing many problems and trying to inflict damage on the Iraqi nation.

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--Election headquarters of pro-conservative presidential candidate, Ali Akbar Velayati, has been launched, an informed source said on Sunday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source noted that if Velayati wins the election, former head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ali Larijani, will become his first vice president and Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad (Tehran Mayor) his interior minister, Mehr News Agency reported.
Velayati's move in launching the election headquarters shows that fundamentalists have reached consensus over Velayati's candidacy in the next presidential race.
However, there have been reports of Rafsanjani expressing his readiness to enter the presidential race. Executives of Construction Party and Islamic Labor Party have already voiced support for Rafsanjani's candidacy.
An informed source close to ECP said Rafsanjani is the party's top candidate while Supreme National Security CouncilÕs Secretary Hassan Rohani is its second preference.
Velayati had previously said that if Rafsanjani were to run for presidency, he would step aside.
However, Second Majlis Vice Speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar had said that Rafsanjani will not participate in the election.
Velayati, a pediatrician, is a former foreign minister.

BOJNOURD, North Khorasan,
Jan. 2--Judiciary plans to move drug convicts from prisons to camps in the near future. Public Prosecutor Qorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi said 30 camps will be set up in several provinces for the purpose, IRNA reported.
Speaking to a group of people in the city of Bojnourd late on Sunday, Dorri-Najafabadi noted that only drug offenders will be kept in such places and called on both the legislative and executive branches to support the plan.
"The main objective should be for the judiciary to distinguish prisoners on the basis of their crimes and separate prison wards accordingly," he said, adding that this way, decent individuals (imprisoned for non-criminal offenses) will not have to be jailed alongside drug addicts.

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--Two hemophilic patients involved in a long and bitter court battle with Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization and Health Ministry have passed away.
Announcing this, the plaintiffsÕ lawyer, Ahmad Qavidel, also told ISNA on Sunday that the appeals court verified the initial ruling issued by the preliminary court which found both the bodies guilty of negligence, ordering them to compensate for the physical and financial damages sustained by the plaintiffs.
Nearly 1,000 hemophilic patients received HIV-tainted blood, many of whom have died of AIDS.
Calling for quick implementation of the verdict, Qavidel said a delay would mean taking these people closer to death.
He called on the convicted parties to recompense the damage incurred by the patients by meeting their medical expenses.
"The fact is that Health Ministry has failed to fulfill its duties toward individuals diagnosed with the disease," Qavidel concluded.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--Commander of Police Brigadier General Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday smuggling of goods arises from economic shortcomings.
Addressing a conference on combating smuggling of goods and foreign currency, Qalibaf reiterated that an inappropriate economic policy gives rise to an evil phenomena like smuggling, IRNA reported.
ÒAll countries are wrestling with human trafficking and smuggling,Ó said the commander, adding that the two phenomenaÕs share in the countriesÕ economy comprises 5 to 7 percent points.
Qalibaf, who also heads the anti-smuggling headquarters, said if the phenomenon becomes chronic, insecurity will dominate social, political, cultural and economic fields.
ÒThe police have a very sensitive and heavy responsibility in confronting the menace,Ó he said.

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--Lawmakers will clarify claims made by the judiciary against Majlis, an MP from Tabriz said.
Eshrat Shayeq also told Fars News Agency on Sunday that while judicial officials denied implicating lawmakers in the course of a Majlis probe into the judiciaryÕs performance, recent statements of the judiciaryÕs deputy for intelligence affairs proved the opposite.
Noting that the judiciary cannot prevent lawmakers from probing into the judiciary's performance, Shayeq said lawmakers will provide people with details of the clash between the MPs and the judiciary.
"Judiciary's Intelligence Department is one of the departments actively undermining the Majlis. How can the judiciary's deputy for intelligence affairs preside over a case while Judiciary's Intelligence Department is subject to a probe?" she asked.

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--President Mohammad Khatami will present the draft budget bill of the next Iranian year (to start March 21, 2005) to Majlis next Sunday, an MP said on Sunday, IRNA reported.
Hamid Reza Haj-Babaei, who is also a member of Majlis Presiding Board, added that the president will also speak in support of Ahmad Sadeq-Bonab in the January 9 open session as his roads and transportation minister.
Sadeq-Bonab was appointed on Dec 26 as the caretaker of the Roads and Transportation Ministry following the no-confidence vote for former Roads and Transportation Minister Ahmad Khorram.

TEHRAN, Jan. 2--Interior Minister Abdolvahed Mousav Lari said the administration had an additional responsibility toward persons who made great sacrifices to make the Islamic Revolution victorious and help the Islamic Republic to remain powerful.
"Our attitude toward these people should not be based on sentiments, rather they should be credited for the survival of the system and for defending our national sovereignty," he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
The minister warned that if the legacy of those who paid a heavy price for the victory of the revolution is forgotten, then the society would lose its spirit of self-sacrifice even at the time of national crises.
Lari called on related organizations to do their best to reflect problems faced by these people to the authorities, saying that attending to their needs is a national duty rather than an obligation.