Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 25, 1990                   TAG: 9006250052
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: TEHRAN, IRAN                                LENGTH: Medium

U.S. MUST SHARE BLAME FOR DEATHS, PAPER SAYS

The "criminal role of America in Iran's past became evident once again in the recent earthquake," the Jomhuri Islami said in an editorial reported by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

"Our people, even under the rubble, chant `Death to America' and pray to God to cut off the hands of the United States . . . even those hands stretched out to help," it said.

It argued that by "plundering Iran's oil and other resources" for 25 years, the United States had prevented the use of even a small part of the national wealth for urban development projects and "advanced [anti-seismic] building construction systems."

"Even after its expulsion from Iran, the U.S. government by imposing economic sanctions and launching several other plots, halted the renovation of the country," the editorial added.

The newspaper was implying that with these actions the United States had blocked the diversion of funds to earthquake safety measures.

"If the United States has real humanitarian objectives and intended to help the Iranian nation, it should do only one thing, stop hatching plots," the newspaper said.

It called on Iranians to reject relief offers by the United States and "other governments whose hands are stained with the blood of the Iranian people."

Iran, at odds with the United States since the 1979 seizure of hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, has said it would welcome relief from the American Red Cross and other U.S. humanitarian groups. The two nations have no diplomatic ties.