This Day In 1970's History: Monday December 3, 1979
- A speedy release of American hostages in Teheran is the aim of a third appeal on which the United Nations Security Council reached tentative accord. The plea is designed to be the strongest, issued by all 15 Council members and not only by the Council's President. But diplomats were pessimistic over Iran's reaction. [New York Times]
- No haven abroad for the Shah has been found by the United States despite its continuing efforts. The State Department said that it was trying to aid the deposed Iranian ruler "in finding a permanent location," but that until a suitable sanctuary was found, he was free to remain in this country. [New York Times]
- Iran's new constitution won an expected landslide ratification, but the turnout of voters seemed to be markedly less than balloting for a referendum last April to set up an Islamic republic. The constitution consolidates power in the hands of the Islamic clergy and makes Ayatollah Khomeini the nation's leader for life.
The Kurds resisted Iran's referendum on a new Islamic constitution. The mountain tribesmen, who have long pressed for autonomy, seized the ballot boxes in 36 of the 37 polling places in their region and later burned the ballots from the 37th as they were being taken from an army barracks to election headquarters. [New York Times]
- The Shah became a campaign issue. Senator Edward Kennedy said that he fully backed President Carter's efforts to free American hostages in Iran, but that Washington should not condone the "repressive dictatorship" of the deposed monarch or grant him permanent asylum. Kennedy stirred a furor with his critical comments about the Shah. The Senator's statements were denounced as inappropriate and potentially harmful by a wide range of Democratic and Republican leaders and the State Department. [New York Times]
- New air pollution rules were set by the Environmental Protection Agency in an effort to lower costs and increase efficiency. The policy allows concerns to increase pollution from some sources at the expense of others, provided the total amount of pollution is within clean air requirements. [New York Times]
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