DATE=11/6/1999 TYPE=EDITORIAL TITLE=EDITORIAL: IRAN A TERRORIST TARGET NUMBER=0-08518 CONTENT= THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 11/6/99. Anncr: The Voice of America presents differing points of view on a wide variety of issues. Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government: Voice: The latest report by the U.S. State Department lists seven countries that sponsor international terrorism. In the Middle East, Iran continues to provide financial and other assistance to several terrorist organizations, including Hizballah, Hamas, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Yet at the same time that it has supported or organized terrorist attacks on others, Iran itself has been a target of terrorism. The Mujahedin e-Khalq is on the list of groups that Americans are prohibited from supporting financially because they engage in terrorism. The Mujahedin e-Khalq is a terrorist organization that has long worked against the government of Iran. Formed in the 1960s, it has a political program combining Marxist and Islamic views. Over the years, it has committed terrorist attacks inside Iran and attacked Iranian embassies in thirteen countries. The Mujahedin e-Khalq has claimed responsibility for a number of recent terrorist operations in Iran, including three explosions in Tehran that killed three people in 1998. It has also claimed responsibility for the assassination of Lieutenant General Ali Sayyad-Shirazi in Tehran on April 10th of this year. The Mujahedin e-Khalq receives support from Iraq and uses front organizations to collect contributions from expatriate Iranian communities. By making it a crime to support terrorist groups, the U.S. aims to discourage such activities domestically and internationally. Since the Iranian revolution and takeover of the U.S. embassy in 1979, relations between Iran and the United States have been virtually non- existent. But recently there has been a good deal of discussion about whether an improvement is possible. One of the main obstacles is Iran's continued support for international terrorism. It is ironic that Iran has been both a victim of terrorism and a key state sponsor of terrorist groups worldwide. Faced with its own terrorist threat from the Mujahedin e- Khalq, Iran has good reason to cooperate with the United States on terrorism issues. This could be a first step toward better relations. Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-voa-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043. 05-Nov-1999 11:03 AM EDT (05-Nov-1999 1603 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
