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RAN-IRAQ: SITUATION REPORT
RAN-IRAQ: SITUATION REPORT
TEHRAN CLAIMS ITS VAL-FAJRFFENSIVE CONTINUED YESTERDAY IN NORTHEASTERN IRAQ, WITH IRANIAN TROOPS CAPTURING THE TOWN OF HALABJA AND ADVANCING TOWARD SAYYID SADIQ. IRANIAN PRESS REPORTS CLAIM THAT TEHRAN0 IRAQI CASUALTIES ANDRIGADE-SIZE UNIT IN HALABJA ANDAJOR GENERAL. TEHRAN ALSO CLAIMS THAT ITS FORCES IN THE AREA WERE ATTACKED WITH CHEMICAL BOMBS DROPPED FROM IRAQI AIRCRAFT. IRAQI PRESS' INDICATES THAT IRAQI FORCES HAVE WITHDRAWN IKHURHAL-HAT3BJA AREA,
AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI AND ASSEMBLY SPEAKER PAFSANJANI YESTERDAY DEPICTED THE OFFENSIVE AS TEHRAN'S RESPONSE TO IRAQI MISSILE ATTACKS
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ON IRANIAN CITIES AND SAID THAT IT DEMONSTRATED THAT THE HISSILE ATTACKS WOULD NOT DETER TEHRAN FROM VIGOROUS PURSUIT OF THE WAR.
IRAQ FIRED ONE MISSILE AT TEHRAN YESTERDAY, AND IRAN DID NOT RETALIATE. IRAQI AIRCRAFT CONTINUE TO CONDUCT DAILY SHIP-ATTACK MISSIONS OVER THE PERSIAN.GULF, AND IRANIAN NAVAL UNITS CONTINUE TO SHADOW GULF SHIPPING.
THE CAPTURE OF IRAQI TERRITORY WILL HURT BAGHDAD POLITICALLY, AND IRAQ IS LIKELY TO REINFORCE THE NORTHERN FRONT WITH DNITS FROM ELSEWHERE ALONG THE FRONT, BUTOVE RISKS WEAKENING OTHER AREAS. TEHRAN IN THE PAST HAS MONITORED TROOP MOVEMENTS TO SPOT VULNERABILITIES IN IRAQI DEFENSES, AND PRESSURE AGAINST AS SULAYMAJUYAH IS SURE TO INCREASE.
KHOMEINI'S PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE OFFENSIVE INDICATE TEHRAN IS CONFIDENT IT CAN HOLD THE NEWLY CAPTURED TERRITORY. THE REMARKS ARE PROBABLY DESIGNED TO STIFFEN IRANIAN RESOLVE BY REMINDING IRANIAN PEOPLE THAT HE REMAINS BEHIND THE WAR EFFORT.
THE IRANIANS ARE ATTEMPTING TO FUEL CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY HEMBERS THAT THE ARMS EMBARGO AT THIS TIME WOULD ONLY REINFORCE TEHRAN'S DETERMINATION TO CONTINUE THE WAR. fliltttt*
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