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DATE=1/6/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-243866 TITLE=IRAN / U-S REACT (L ONLY) BYLINE=KYLE KING DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS WELCOMED THE ARREST OF SEVERAL IRANIAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS WHO HAVE BEEN LINKED TO A STRING OF RECENT POLITICAL KILLINGS IN THAT COUNTRY. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS. TEXT: SINCE THE RECENT SPATE OF KILLINGS BEGAN LATE LAST YEAR, THE UNITED STATES HAS REPEATEDLY CALLED ON IRANIAN AUTHORITIES TO ARREST THOSE RESPONSIBLE. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN WELCOMED THE NEWS OF THE RECENT ARRESTS AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT. // RUBIN ACT // THE ARRESTS ARE A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS MAINTAINING THE RULE OF LAW IN IRAN, AND PROVIDING FOR THE SECURITY OF IRANIANS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS. // END ACT // ON TUESDAY, THE IRANIAN INTELLIGENCE MINISTRY ANNOUNCED WITH REGRET THAT SEVERAL OF ITS AGENTS HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SLAYING OF SEVERAL PROMINENT DISSIDENTS AND WRITERS. THE AGENCY DID NOT IDENTIFY THOSE ARRESTED OR SAY HOW MANY HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, BUT CALLED THEM MISGUIDED TRAITORS AND CONDEMNED THEIR ACTIONS. SOME POLITICAL ANALYSTS CALL THE ADMISSION A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR THE COUNTRY AND A FAVORABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR IRAN'S PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI, WHO HAD ORDERED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLINGS. THE ARRESTS HAVE AGAIN RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER IRANIAN GOVERNMENT AGENTS MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE KILLING OF OTHER OPPONENTS SINCE THE 1979 REVOLUTION. GERMAN OFFICIALS HAVE ALLEGED IRANIAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS WERE WAS BEHIND THE 1992 MURDER OF SEVERAL DISSIDENTS IN A BERLIN RESTAURANT. IRAN HAS DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS.(SIGNED) NEB/KBK/PT 06-Jan-99 5:21 PM EST (2221 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .