DATE=2/9/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42559
TITLE=IRAN / U-S / TERRORISM
BYLINE=AMIN FEKRAT
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
NOT VOICED:
INTRO: TWENTY YEARS AFTER THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEHRAN AND WASHINGTON REMAINS BROKEN. THE
U-S GOVERNMENT CONSISTENTLY HAS ACCUSED IRAN OF STATE-SPONSORED
TERRORISM, ACTIVE OPPOSITION TO THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS,
AND A RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. AMIN
FEKRAT OF THE V-O-A FARSI SERVICE DISCUSSED THE 'TERRORISM' ISSUE
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY CORDESMAN, AN ANALYST WITH THE
'CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES' -- A PRIVATE
THINK-TANK IN WASHINGTON.
TEXT: TWENTY YEARS AGO, IRAN AND THE UNITED STATES WERE ALLIES,
SO MUCH SO THAT WASHINGTON SHARED INTELLIGENCE SECRETS WITH THE
SHAH OF IRAN. BUT IN FEBRUARY 1979, EVERYTHING TURNED UPSIDE
DOWN. THE SHAH WAS OUSTED, AND THE AYATOLLAH RUHOLLAH KHOMEINI
TOOK OVER. SUDDENLY, THE BEST OF FRIENDS TURNED INTO THE WORST OF
ENEMIES.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO REMAINED HOSTILE UNTIL THE
STUNNING ELECTION OF MOHAMMAD KHATAMI IN MAY 1997 AND HIS
ASCENSION TO THE POST OF THE IRANIAN PRESIDENCY. BUT DESPITE THE
INITIAL OPTIMISM, THE CRACK IN THE "WALL OF THE MISTRUST" BETWEEN
IRAN AND UNITED STATES HAS NOT WIDENED. AND THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE TWO HAS, AT BEST, CHANGED FROM HOSTILE TO FROSTY.
ONE OF THE MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN TO THE UNITED STATES IS IRAN'S
ALLEGED SUPPORT OF TERRORISM.
ANTHONY CORDESMAN -- OF THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES -- SAYS IRAN IN THE PAST HAD BEEN INVOLVED
IN A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED "TERRORISM."
/// CORDESMAN ACT 1 ///
ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS OF
OPPOSITION ELEMENTS IN PLACES LIKE EUROPE. NOW
THESE HAVE VIRTUALLY HALTED. BUT THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION THAT IN THE PAST, THE
ACTIVITIES WENT THROUGH THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
THEY WERE NOT CARRIED OUT BY ROGUE ELEMENTS. THEY
WENT THROUGH THE ELEMENTS OF THE IRANIAN NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL, WHICH MEANT THAT SENIOR
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS LIKE THE LEADERS'
REPRESENTATIVES WERE INVOLVED.
/// END ACT ///
MR. CORDESMAN SAYS THAT SINCE MR. KHATAMI'S ELECTION, THERE HAS
BEEN NO SIGN OF SUCH ACTIVITIES. THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE ROUTINE
DEMONSTRATIONS DURING PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA THAT, IN THE PAST,
ESCALATED TO VIOLENCE. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE IRANIAN TIES TO SHI'A
MUSLIMS INSIDE SAUDI ARABIA, MR. CORDESMAN SAYS THERE ARE NO
SIGNS TODAY OF ORGANIZED TERRORIST ACTIVITY BACKED BY IRAN.
STILL, MR. CORDESMAN SAYS, IT IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT IRAN IS
PUMPING FINANCIAL AID TO EXTREMIST PALESTINIAN ORGANIZATIONS
OPPOSED TO PEACE:
/// CORDESMAN ACT 2 ///
THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO QUESTION THAT IRAN CONTINUES
TO BRING MONEY AND SUPPLIES TO 'HAMAS' AND THE
PALESTINIAN 'ISLAMIC JIHAD.' THESE ARE MOVEMENTS
THAT HAVE VIOLENT OVERTONES IN THE PALESTINIAN
COMMUNITY. WHETHER THESE ARE, IN FACT,
"TERRORISTS" OR "FREEDOM FIGHTERS," DEPENDS ON
YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
/// END ACT ///
IN MR. CORDESMAN'S VIEW, AS LONG AS THESE GROUPS ARE REGARDED AS
"TERRORISTS" BY THE PALESTINIANS, ONE WOULD HAVE TO ACCEPT THE
NOTION THAT IRAN FAVORS VIOLENCE OVER THE ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE
PROCESS.
MR. CORDESMAN SAYS ANOTHER PROBLEM IS IRAN'S LINK WITH THE
'HEZBOLLAH' (PARTY OF GOD) IN LEBANON, ALTHOUGH HE SAYS IRAN
CANNOT ENTIRELY BE BLAMED FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF HEZBOLLAH:
/// CORDESMAN ACT 3 ///
IN FACT, THE HEZBOLLAH HAS MORE DIRECT TIES TO THE
SYRIAN INTELLIGENCE THAT IT DOES TO THE IRANIAN
INTELLIGENCE, ALTHOUGH IRAN PROVIDES MONEY.
/// END ACT ///
THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, CONTENDS ITS SUPPORT FOR THE
HEZBOLLAH IS TO FREE LEBANON FROM ISRAELI OCCUPATION. MR.
CORDESMAN:
/// CORDESMAN ACT 4 ///
WHETHER THIS ARGUMENT IS TRUE OR NOT IS UNCLEAR.
BUT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SUPPORTING A
LOW-LEVEL WAR, IRAN IS CLEARLY LINKED WITH SYRIA
-- AND THE ARMS SHIPMENTS CONTINUE.
/// END ACT ///
MR. CORDESMAN SAYS HE BELIEVES OTHER STATE-SUPPORTED TERRORISM
CHARGES MADE AGAINST IRAN ARE NOT LEGITIMATE. FOR EXAMPLE, HE
SAYS, IT IS FAR FROM CLEAR IF THERE IS ANY IRANIAN LINKAGE TO THE
ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS IN EGYPT AND ALGERIA.
IN CONCLUSION, MR. CORDESMAN SAYS HE BELIEVES THERE HAVE BEEN
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN U-S / IRANIAN RELATIONS SINCE PRESIDENT
KHATAMI'S ELECTION. BUT, HE SAYS, MAJOR PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE
TO EXIST AS LONG AS THE TWO GOVERNMENTS REMAIN AT ODDS OVER THE
PALESTINIAN AND HEZBOLLAH ISSUES. (SIGNED)
NEB/AF/RRM
09-Feb-99 4:08 PM EST (2108 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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