Iran: Anti-regime demonstrations likely to accompany elections in Tehran today.

Iran: The parliamentary elections which are scheduled to begin today in Tehran are likely to be accompanied by extensive demonstrations and possibly by violence. Nationalist agitators demanding free elections have attracted large crowds in Tehran, and some Communist instigation is also reported. The most extensive demonstrations so far have involved university students, some of whom have been arrested. The regime is attempting through censorship to prevent the dissemination within the cities of reports of demonstrations against electoral rigging in the provinces, where elections have been taking place since mid-January. The government appears alert to the inherent dangers, and American advisers believe the police should be able to contain disturbances. [excised text here] (Backup, Page 10)

[from pg. 10 below]

Polling in Tehran May Lead to Violence [excised box here]

Iranian nationalists are making one of their strongest bids in recent years to re-establish themselves as a political force. Tehran University students led by agitators from the National Front, a coalition of nationalist groups, have been demonstrating during the week for freer elections. [two lines of excised text] four Tudeh groups, which were formerly operating independently, are now coordinating their activities to aid the National Front. Tudeh leaders are said to be receiving orders from the Soviet Embassy, and some direction through Soviet radiobroadcasts. Extensive demonstrations are expected when voting begins in Tehran on 2 February, and may provide the Iranian security forces with one of their severest tests in recent years. Security officials in Tehran, who until recently have been complacent regarding the elections, are showing signs of nervousness as the voting deadline approaches. Student demonstrations have been increasing, and over 30 of their leaders have been arrested.

National Front leaders probably do not desire violence. Twelve front leaders have taken asylum in the Senate building to dramatize their protest over police closure of their club, the arrest of students, censorship, and lack of free elections. Mozafar Baqai, a nationalist leader arrested during the abortive election campaign last August for making street speeches demanding free elections, is again making provocative speeches and attracting audiences as large as 5,000 persons. [Mozaffar Baghai] In contrast, meetings of pro-government groups have failed to draw sizable crowds.

The government is censoring news of incidents in the provinces protesting the use of its influence to elect favored candidates for fear that such news would aggravate the situation in Tehran. Voting has been taking place in the provinces since mid-January, and about 112 of the 200 deputies have been elected. [excised text here]