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
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