The following information was provided during a 29 January 1997 telephone interview with a specialist on Iran in England.

The source stated that the publication Payam-e-ma-Azadegan is ideologically affiliated to the constitutionalist movement and to former Iranian prime minister, Mr. Shapour Baktiar.

The following information was provided during a 21 January 1997 telephone interview with a professor at the Université de Paris VIII, who has written on the Iranian political opposition. The source has been following the situation of the Iranian community in France for many years.

Payam-e-ma-Azadegan was published in Paris and the source noted that only a limited number of issues were produced. Payam-e-ma-Azadegan was not available in public distribution centres in France and the paper is no longer published. The source did not have information on the situation of Payam-e-ma-Azadegan staff members. The newspaper published anti-regime and anti-religious articles and was considered ultra-nationalist.

The name Korosh Aria Manesh is a pen name. The real name is Reza Masloman. The source added that Mr. Masloman was killed around 8 months ago in the French town of Créteil near Paris.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Professor, Université de Paris VIII, France. 21 January 1997. Telephone interview.

Specialist on Iran, England. 29 January 1997. Telephone interview.