Tehran, U.S. believes, is set to strike again at targets in Iraq

U.S. News & World Report
June 22, 1992

Washington whispers
By Gary Cohen

Strike two. U.S. intelligence suspects that Iran may be preparing to launch a new military strike into Iraq against an Iranian opposition group, the People's Mujeheddin. Tehran believes the organization played a role in the recent violent demonstrations in the Iranian cities of Mashhad and Arak that resulted in the government's execution earlier this month of at least six of the protesters. If the Iranians strike inside Iraq, it would mark the second time this year that they have moved across the border. In April, Tehran's F-4 Phantom jets attacked a People's Mujeheddin base 50 miles inside Iraq. Baghdad later used the Iranian attack to justify its resumption of military flights for the first time since the end of the gulf war -- a violation of the terms of the cease-fire agreement.