Voice of America Washington, DC 20547 Tel: (202) 619-2538 Fax: (202) 619-1241 E-mail: pubaff@ibb.gov

VOA Phone Lines Inundated With Iranian Calls

Washington, D.C., July 16, 1999 The Voice of America's Farsi-language call-in radio/TV simulcast, "Round Table with You," was inundated today with calls from Iranians expressing support for the week-long pro-reform demonstrations in their homeland. Callers from cities throughout Iran vowed that the voices of reform will never be silenced by the repressive policies of the clerical regime.

One caller, a 23-year-old student in Tehran, said, "VOA did a great public service by getting the message of the pro-reform students to the world."

During the last week of protests, which at times were violent, and massive counter demonstrations by supporters of the conservative clergy, VOA Farsi broadcast comprehensive coverage. The broadcasts included two one-hour call-in shows and interviews with students in Tehran and other cities who participated in the demonstrations and on interviews with a dozen student leaders about their pro-democracy campaign and their demands.

Hossein Kashani, a leader of the reformist students organization and editor of a banned student publication, called on President Mohammad Khatami in an exclusive July 12 VOA interview to accelerate his promised reforms in the face of consistent challenges from the ruling conservative clergy.

VOA Farsi coverage also included reaction in the United States and other countries; press opinion in the U.S. and abroad; the views of international human rights groups; and the positions of Iranian political opposition groups in exile.

"Round Table with You" is a weekly radio and TV simulcast beamed into Iran every Friday by satellite. The Voice of America broadcasts world, regional, and U.S. news in 53 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 91 million.

Contact: George Mackenzie
Phone: (202) 619-2538
E-mail: pubaff@voa.gov