Summary of Iran Stories in Today's BroadcastsBehnam NateghiSaturday, September 20, 2003
<b>Universities' Disciplinary Committees Punish Student Protesters</b>
• Disciplinary committees in universities across Iran began handing down heavy punishments, including exile, dismissal or temporary suspension, to students who were arrested for taking part in last June's pro-democracy demonstrations. Semnan University suspended the sentences against eight students on the condition that they stay away from political activities, but suspended two for two terms. Kerman University expelled three students. (Keyvan Hosseini)
<b>Shell Denies Planning to Bid for Azadegan Oil Field</b>
• The Royal Dutch/Shell on Friday denied reports that it was planning a bid for the $2 billion Azadegan oilfield project. A consortium of Japanese firms has been in talks with Iran's National Iranian Oil Company since 2000, but last week oil minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said the bidding was open to other companies, since the Japanese firms opted out of the negotiations under US pressure. (Nima Tamadon)
<b>Police Arrest 3200 Addicts in Sweeps</b>
• In 47 sweeps, Tehran police rounded up 3200 addicts since the beginning of September, according to anti-drug chief Qodratollah Mahmoudi. (Arash Qavidel, Tehran)
<b>Police Seize 2000 Satellite Dish Antennas in Tehran</b>
• In a search of an underground factory, police seized more than 2000 satellite dishes. Watching satellite TV is illegal in Iran, even though the government reported that more than 3 million dish antennas are in use across Iran. (Ali Sajjadi)
<b>Suicide Rate of Young Women Worries Heath Officals</b>
• The high rate of young women's suicides, particularly in the western provinces of the country, is a source of concern, according to the health ministry's head of psychological care. He said forces marriages was the number one cause of young women's suicides. (Golnaz Esfandiari)
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عقيله الهاشمي، عضو شوراي حکومتي عراق، روز شنبه هدف پرتاب نارنجک و آتش مسلسل مردان ناشناس قرار گرفت و به شدت زخمي شد که پس از عمل جراحي، با يک آمبولانس آمريکايي به نقطه نامعلومي برده شد. خانم هاشمي يکي از سه زن عضو شوراي حکومتي عراق است و قبلا يکي از اعضاي پايين رتبه حزب بعث عراق بوده که در اواسط دهه 1970 بعد از فارغ التحصيلي از فرانسه، در وزارت امور خارجه عراق مشغول به کار و در دانشگاه بغداد مشغول به تدريس شد. او تنها مقام رژيم سابق عراق است که در شوراي موقت حضور دارد. پال برمر، مدير آمريکايي امور عراق، مي گويد از شنيدن اقدام بزدلانه و وحشتناک تکان خورده است. دومنيک دو ويلپن، وزير امور خارجه فرانسه نيز از اين پيشآمد ابراز تاسف کرد. قرار بود خانم هاشمي اين هفته براي شرکت در نشست مجمع عمومي سازمان ملل متحد به نيويورک برود.
