DATE=9/6/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238226
TITLE=AFGHAN IRAN (L)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI IS SAID TO
HAVE RULED OUT ANY MILITARY CONFRONTATION WITH TALEBAN FORCES IN
AFGHANISTAN. BUT TENSION REMAINS HIGH BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORING
MUSLIM NATIONS OVER THE FATE OF 10 IRANIAN DIPLOMATS MISSING IN
AFGHANISTAN. AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD THE TALEBAN ARE
CALLING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO STEP UP EFFORTS TO
DEFUSE THE MILITARY TENSION.
TEXT: A LEADING IRANIAN NEWSPAPER, "THE TEHRAN TIMES", QUOTED
MR. KHAMENEI AS SAYING THERE WILL BE NO CONFRONTATION WITH THE
TALEBAN IN AFGHANISTAN.
THE IRANIAN LEADER'S REMARKS COINCIDE WITH A STATEMENT (SUNDAY)
BY THE TALEBAN MOVEMENT WARNING IRAN THE TALEBAN FORCES WOULD
SHED BLOOD TO REPEL ANY INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN.
THE "AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS" QUOTES A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN AS SAYING
REINFORCEMENTS, SUCH AS FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE
BORDERS WITH IRAN TO CHECK ANY IRANIAN ATTACK. U-S OFFICIALS SAY
THE IRANIAN MILITARY HAS BUILT UP ITS FORCES ALONG THE BORDER AND
IS POISED TO SEND THOUSANDS OF TROOPS INTO AFGHANISTAN.
TENSION BETWEEN IRAN AND THE TALEBAN FOLLOWS THE ALLEGED CAPTURE
OF 10 IRANIAN DIPLOMATS BY TALEBAN FORCES WHICH TOOK THE NORTHERN
AFGHAN CITY OF MAZAR-I-SHARIF LAST MONTH.
THE TALEBAN SAY THEY ARE HOLDING SOME IRANIAN TRUCK DRIVERS, BUT
NO DIPLOMATS. BUT THE TALEBAN LEADERSHIP HAS SAID THE IRANIAN
DIPLOMATS MOST LIKELY HAD BEEN KILLED LAST MONTH DURING FIGHTING
FOR THE CONTROL OF MAZAR-I-SHARIF.
MEANWHILE, A SENIOR TALEBAN OFFICIAL TELLS V-O-A THE GROUP HAS
SENT A LETTER TO U-N SECRETARY GENERAL-KOFI ANNAN ASKING HIM TO
STOP IRAN FROM ISSUING THREATENING STATEMENTS AGAINST
AFGHANISTAN. THE TALEBAN MOVEMENT'S FORMER AMBASSADOR TO
PAKISTAN, HAKEEM MUJAHID, SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD
STEP UP EFFORTS TO DEFUSE THE TENSION BETWEEN IRAN AND
AFGHANISTAN.
// MUJAHID ACT //
WE HOPE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL BREAK
THEIR SILENCE AND ALSO THE UNITED NATIONS WILL FULFILL
ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO CONDEMN IRANIAN STATEMENTS AGAINST
THE TALEBAN OR AGAINST THE ISLAMIC EMIRATE (OF
AFGHANISTAN). WE HAVE ALREADY SENT A LETTER TO THE U-N
SECRETARY GENERAL TO CONDEMN THE IRANIAN MILITARY
MANEUVER ON ITS BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN, AND ALSO THEIR
THREATS TO A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY, AFGHANISTAN.
//END ACT//
MR. MUJAHID ALSO SAYS TALEBAN OFFICIALS HAVE PROMISED IRAN THEY
WILL HELP TRACE THE MISSING IRANIAN DIPLOMATS.
// MUJAHID ACT//
WE HAVE AGREED THAT WITHIN ONE WEEK THE ISLAMIC EMIRATE
(OF AFGHANISTAN) WILL FIND OUT ABOUT IRANIAN DIPLOMATS
IN AFGHANISTAN. IF THEY ARE DEAD, THEY (THE TALEBAN)
WILL FIND THEIR DEAD BODIES. IF [THE] ISLAMIC EMIRATE
COULD NOT FIND THESE IRANIAN DIPLOMATS OR THEIR DEAD
BODIES, THEN A JOINT TRILATERAL COMMISSION MADE UP OF
AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, AND PAKISTAN WILL INVESTIGATE THE
MATTER INSIDE AFGHANISTAN.
// END ACT //
MEANWHILE, THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS CONFIRMED THE TALEBAN
HAVE PROMISED TO CLARIFY THE FATE OF THE IRANIAN DIPLOMATS WITHIN
A WEEK.
THE TALEBAN CONTROL ABOUT 90-PERCENT OF AFGHANISTAN AND HAVE
CALLED THE WAR-RAVAGED COUNTRY THE "ISLAMIC EMIRATE OF
AFGHANISTAN" SINCE CAPTURING KABUL IN SEPTEMBER 1996.
THE MOVEMENT ACCUSES IRAN OF FUELING THE AFGHAN CIVIL WAR BY
PROVIDING MILITARY SUPPORT TO ANTI-TALEBAN FORCES. IRAN DENIES
THE CHARGE. THE AFGHAN OPPOSITION FORCES ACCUSE PAKISTAN OF
BACKING THE TALEBAN'S VICTORIES IN AFGHANISTAN. PAKISTAN DENIES
THE CHARGE.
PAKISTAN, THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, AND SAUDI ARABIA ARE THE ONLY
THREE COUNTRIES TO HAVE RECOGNIZED TALEBAN RULE IN KABUL.
(SIGNED)
NEB/AG/RAE
06-Sep-98 1:46 PM EDT (1746 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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