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)
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Source: Voice of America
.