Military

DATE=11/30/2001

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-283716

TITLE=IRAN/AFGHAN/U-S (L)

BYLINE=AYAZ GUL

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

INTRO: Iran has issued a blunt warning to the United States to refrain from carrying its anti-terrorist campaign to any other Islamic nation. Iran's foreign minister, Kamal Kharazi, made the statement during a visit to Pakistan Friday. Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad.

TEXT: Mr. Kharazi warned that any attempt by the United States to carry the anti-terrorist campaign beyond Afghanistan would invite "chaos."

/// KHARAZI ACT ///

I think nobody in the Islamic world, or outside of the Islamic world, would accept this strategy, if Americans are going to follow it. Therefore, I believe it is better for them to think twice, that attacking any Muslim country in the Islamic world would have a heavy backfire, and there's no excuse to justify any military operation against any other Islamic nation.

/// END ACT ///

The Iranian foreign minister's comments come amid reports that the United States may soon turn its anti-terrorist efforts toward Iraq, which the U-S government has long accused of attempting to acquire weapons of mass destruction and of state-sponsored terrorism.

Addressing the same news conference, Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said he has received no indication rom the United States that it would strike militarily at other countries. But he says Pakistan

would oppose any such move.

/// SATTAR ACT ///

Terrorism cannot be equated with Islam, and therefore, any attempt that is made to generalize the issue of terrorism in a way that reflects on Islam would be unacceptable to us.

/// END ACT ///

The ministers from Pakistan and Iran said they support United Nations-sponsored talks being held in Germany with rival Afghan factions to promote a broad-based, multi-ethnic government in Afghanistan to replace the Taleban. /// OPT /// The two ministers said the Taleban's loss of control in Afghanistan had opened the way to a new relationship between the two countries, which have long differed in their approach to their neighbor. /// END OPT ///

Mr. Kharazi says the stationing of U-N observers in Afghanistan would be acceptable to Iran. But he rejected the idea of deploying foreign peacekeepers, particularly American troops.

/// KHARAZI ACT // OPT ACT ///

We don't find it productive for American troops to stay in Afghanistan. We are against deployment of foreign troops in Afghanistan. I don't think it would be helpful. I believe the security of Afghanistan has to be

maintained by Afghans themselves.

/// END ACT // END OPT ///

Mr. Kharazi called for a national army and police force to be set up in Afghanistan to disarm groups and maintain peace in the war-ravaged country. (SIGNED)

NEB/AG/TW