European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 8, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Bitter conflict nears turning Point casualty counts weigh on iranians by Roberto Suro new York times n the arid Hollands South of Tehran a cemetery is growing quickly. Gave diggers with shovels Rush Tram one Sile to another on bicycles. With several burials going on at once funeral orators compete Lor attention. Bullhorn amplify their voices above the Roar of a bulldozers preparing new ground. This is Behest Zahra. A cemetery created Tor War martyrs. A Fountain near the main Gate gushes water tinted blood red like some horrendous wound. Thousands of Graves Are adorned with Little Metal shrines that display photos of Young men and boys Many others Ara simple furrows marked by a cardboard sign instead of a Headstone. A Carpel of leaves or an iranian Flag covers the freshly turned Earth. Simple co los and Broad plastic sheets Are scattered about. The official casualty counts on both sides in the Iran Iraq War appear subject to distortions but there is Tittle doubt that Many Lens of thousands of soldiers have lost their lives in recent months. On the Highway to Behe Shl Zahra buses decorated with funeral wreaths fallow one after the other carrying mourners o new funerals. Per tiap More than Ever before the War is a Central inescapable fact of life in Iran. Having dragged on for More than six years the War teas had a decisive influence on the development of Iran s islamic revolution its Economy and its foreign policy. Now it May be reaching a turning Point that could decisively change the history of that country and of the Middle East. Several months ago Iran s supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini promised that tha War would end in Victory by the end of he iranian year now less than two months Atway. Since Jan. 9 Iran s soldiers have taken important Steps toward achieving that goal with an offensive that broke through several iraqi defensive lines hear the City of Basra. Although formidable obstacles remain Between the iranians and Basra Iraq s second Largos City iranian officials insist hey have every intention of carrying on Trie fight. A very Clear sense of expectation has built up in Iran a Rug merchant in the Tehran Bazaar said. Everyone knows that something is going to happen but no one knows Lor euro what it will  a Western Diplomat in Tehran expressed something of the same feeling. The War has gone through a Tot of  and Downs without very Many decisive engagements but this is a very important moment he said. Events could go a lot of differ enl ways but wha lever happens on the Battlefield will have a big Impact in Iran one reason or the uncertainly is that the War produces a Stream of paradoxes. This is particularly evident m iranian altitudes toward the United states. At the beginning of the revolution America was declared the great satan because of its intimate lies to the Shah. Less is made of Fiat association now that it has been seven years since the Shah was deposed. Propaganda posters and Street murals routinely depict Uncle Sam or president Reagan or some other representation of the United states As giving bombs or other weapons to Iraq and particularly to its president Saddam Hussein. Usually a Star of David is prominently placed to show that Israel is also involved this message has got through because in random conversations with residents Here an american reporter is frequently asked sometimes angrily Why the United states supports Iraq. Even so most iranians seem to know that their government Fias said that tha Reagan administration approached Iran with an Oiler of arms an Oiler that the government says was rejected. And More sophisticated iranians know hat their country s War machine has been kept running partly with weapons bought one Way or another from the United states and Israel. Pronouncing a kind o abstract haired Tor the United Silies has been a continuing theme of iranian Lite but that sentiment has now been largely transferred from the context of Iran s internal revolution to the War against Iraq. Measuring iranian Public opinion is no easy task As several administrations in a United states have discovered unhappily. Determining the War s Impact is no easier because Complex and not necessarily coherent Felings Are expressed. One trend that seems discernible was described by a Diplomat. Revolutionary inertia is Down and it has been replaced with War fever he said. Iranians Aff have deep feelings Aboul the War feelings that Iraq has thou Andt of Graves at Behest Zahra caused great suffering and should be punished.". Tha islamic regime certainly Stokes that War few with such things As television broadcasts of combat footage introduced with he Star wars theme and with collection boxes around Tehran University Whan ? thousands gather for Friday prayers Hera. Donation to the War cause Are rewarded with Ehtle coupons Buring a picture of Ayatollah Khomeini and the inscription but you Hesp the War you help islam.". But other sentiments Are also evident when Iran inf talk about the War. A grizzled Man who denounced America s supposed support for Iraq then paused. Looked to the sky and said plaintively of god Lei ints War finally end. We Pray that we will soon finish wish this  desperation mixed with anger was evident in a Marks of nostalgia in Tehran by Charles Campbell associated press want letters spelling out Down with Usa adorn the lobby of the hotel Azam. Forir cily called the Hyatt in Tehran. But a visor to tha iranian capital also sees Marks of nostalgia for the Days when americans were a major presence before the 1979 Revou Tiofio that replaced the us backed Shah of Iran with an islamic Republic on or. Hussein Falemai Avenue Small Golden Arches Mark a Little Mcdonald s restaurant. The soda in coca cola bottles is not the real thing and when you order a big Mac from a cashier sitting at a table he hamburger is Good and spicy but not read in american style. Ii costs the equivalent of -s3.50. A few blocks away a fast food place features our Fried Chicken the us rate table competing with another nearby Chicken restaurant that even displays colonel Sanders familiar smiling lace. The iranian people like americans said a Tehran businessman encountered in a pushing mass of hundreds of people at tha Airport customs inspection counter. Not All iranians perhaps. A sentry with a Rifle at the former . Embassy compound where Amari cens were held hostage for Aat Days in 1979-b1 whistles and gestures to Chase away a curious visitor taking notes. On the Wall outside the compound a sign still reads Center for the publication of  espionage Den s  a downtown merchant tha owner of a shop that Sells nuts was asked about iranian denunciation of the United states As the great  he answered in English that is just the policy. It is not the View of most people " like everyone else interviewed in a Brief visit to Tehran he declined to give his name saying if you write a True Story they will be angry with  other iranians after being assured their words would not be relayed to their country s Leader or to the islamic revolutionary guards said they knew of children jailed Tor being found with anti government newspapers and women imprisoned for letting strands of hair escape the shrouds on their Heads. Unlike the Early years of the revolution residents say women now Are never seen on the streets of Tehran without at least Large scarves Over their Heads if not Page 14 the stars and stripes the full formless Black chador. Aside from slogans in Bright colors on the Walls pictures of sons killed in Bailie displayed on car windshields and anti aircraft emplacements on the outskirts of the City there Are few signs in Tehran six year old War with Iraq r j the War on a came to Tehran