Opposition Resurgent, Iranian Influence Inlsl an
emonstrators in Dushanbe. Tajikistan, on Sunday called for ihc dissolution of theew legislative election, and the immediate privatization of land and enterprises. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minisicr Malcki said on Saturday that Iran intends to expand air and rail links between Dushanbe and Tehran, to begin cooperation in the oil and textile industries, and to print textbooks to help the Tajtks switch from the Cyrillic to the Persian alphabet. Iranian media said yesterday thai Tajik President Nabiycv plans lo visit Iran <
Recent regime moves toward more authoritarianincluding (he reinstatement of ihc Tajik Communist Pany and the President's hints he might assume additionalincreased the likelihood of confrontations like those that brought the governmenttandstill last fall. Iran's chances ofoothold in Central Asia ore gteaicst in Tajikistan and will increase once the Tajiks, who are isolated from the oihcr Muslim republics by their non-Turkic language, adopt the Persian alphabet. The Sunni Tajiks remain wary, however, of the fundnrrfcmalism of Iran's Shia.
Jam fx.
jmVEDTOR RELEASE
V?3
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: