Rebels attacked a Revolutionary Guards barracks in western Iran. One senior commander was killed in the grenade attack. Two rebels were killed and one captured. December 11; Rebels attacked a special forces headquarters (and "terrorist training center") with mortars. Casualties were not reported.
December 11; More reports are being leaked by US intelligence services about Iranian support for anti-Israeli terrorist groups. The election of a moderate president two years ago has not reduced such support, which has in fact increased. The President of Iran is, under the constitution, little more than a civil administrator; foreign policy and support for terrorists is controlled by the religious leaders. Iran has increased shipments of weapons to various radical groups including Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, and is increasingly working to coordinate and orchestrate their attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Barak has recently warned that terrorist attacks could cause the peace process to be suspended or even halted. --Stephen V Cole
December 1; Turkey has accused Iran of allowing the PKK (Kurdish rebels) to set up five logistical bases on Iranian territory. This would appear to violate a 13 Aug 99 agreement (ending a brief crisis last summer) under which Iran agreed not to allow the PKK to operate in that country in exchange for a Turkish agreement not to launch air strikes or ground raids into Iran.--Stephen V Cole
