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Rafsanjani blames West and US for world terrorism

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 23, IRNA -- Expediency Council (EC) Chairman Akbar 
Hashemi Rafsanjani here on Friday said that terrorism is a problem 
that has its roots in the West and the US. 
Speaking at the weekly Friday Prayers gathering in Tehran 
University campus, he referred to the US-backed terrorist Mujahedeen 
Khalq Organization (MKO) as responsible for the martyrdom of many 
Iranian officials with their main strategy of bombing innocent 
targets. 
"Even today, the MKO is supported by the US. If it did not have 
the support of Washington, its members would never have been allowed 
to stay in Iraq. 
"The fact that the MKO and supporters of the former dictator 
Saddam Hussein had been killing innocent Iraqis over the past 10-12 
years means they had the support of the US as they would not have 
been able to continue committing crimes that long," he added. 
Rafsanjani was hopeful the US has learned its lesson from Iraq 
by now and that this would have an impact on a whole generation of 
Americans. 
Turning to a report released Thursday night by a commission 
formed by the US Congress to look into the country`s security 
installations prior to the September 11 terrorist attacks, he noted 
that it was again used by the Zionist media to level accusations of 
Iranian involvement. 
"The report is being used by the Zionist media to put Iran on 
the defensive as it talks of the possible crossing of a few members 
of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group through Iran on their way to the US 
in the runup to the September events, and raises questions of whether 
Iran had a role in the incidents." 
Rafsanjani was quick to point out that even if it could be proven 
that the Sept. 11 terrorists did pass through Iran on their way to 
the US, it would not in any way be possible to charge Iran with any 
involvement as no connection has been established with the bombers. 
"This only proves that US allegations are baseless," he added. 
The EC chairman called the latest accusations as part of a 
criminal propaganda being waged by the Western-controlled media to 
deceive world public opinion. 
He went on to raise the question of Al-Qaeda`s presence in 
Afghanistan, their supporters, and financial backers. 
"There is no doubt about the US role in this respect and even 
the Americans themselves admit that they themselves enabled Al-Qaeda 
and the Taliban to rise to power. 
"As a hardline Sunni movement, the US built up the Al-Qaeda to 
oppose the world Shiites whom they perceived as a power to reckon with
especially after the Islamic Revolution, which they felt they had 
to undermine," he added. 
The Americans and Europeans agree that Al-Qaeda came to power 
mainly through the US and Washington has only itself to blame and 
cannot look to others as a scapegoat, he added. 
He ended his Friday prayers sermon by referring to Wednesday`s 
national observance of the death anniversary of Hazrat-e Fatemeh 
Zahra (AS) and highlighted her strength of character amid the 
tribulations she endured after the demise of her father, the Prophet 
Mohammad (PBUH). 
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