Date:11/10/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/10/11/stories/2002101104101400.htm

International

U.S. move will fuel extremism: Teheran

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA OCT.10 . Apprehending that the United States could target it after dealing with Iraq, Iran has said that it would counter any move to undermine its territorial integrity or national interests.

The Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, said during talks with the visiting British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, that Iranian people, faced with any threat, would not hesitate to rise in the defence of their national interests and territorial integrity. Mr. Khatami's remarks assume importance as Mr. Straw is expected to brief the U.S. authorities in detail about his visit to Iran.

Mr. Straw had similarly consulted Iran prior to the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan. Iran, analysts point out, could be a U.S. target in the future on account of its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, its hostility towards Israel and support for the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon that opposes Tel Aviv.

Like Turkey, France, Britain and Russia, Iran does not want that the United Nations, under pressure from the United States, to sanction the forcible removal of the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. Mr. Khatami pointed out that, ``unseating governments by force would set a dangerous precedent in the world''.

0The Iranian establishment is of the view that any endorsement of regime change in Iraq can be self-destructive as it could encourage the United States to take similar steps against Teheran.

Iran was opposed to any unilateral action against Iraq but was likely to endorse the use of force against it, provided this decision was taken collectively by the U.N. Security Council. Iranian officials have recently said that they oppose a war with Iraq as it could destabilise the region, but, would, nevertheless, accept any collective U.N. Security Council decision on Baghdad as a fact'.

Mr. Khatami pointed out that the U.S. had a history of taking unilateral decisions in the region that momentarily suited its own interests.

He accused the West of arming Mr. Hussein with chemical weapons which were used against Iran during the Iran-Iraq conflict as well as on the Iraqi people themselves. He also questioned Washington's assertion that Iraqis may use such weapons against Americans.

Accusing the U.S. of "arrogance and haste'', Mr. Khatami warned Mr. Straw that Washington's "political conduct can only result in the strengthening of extremist movements' activities in the Islamic world''.

Britain and Iran, as a fall-out of Mr. Straw's visit, are now expected to intensify their consultations on Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Straw stressed that Iraq was a threat to its neighbouring countries and said all U.N. Security Council Resolutions on Iraq must be enforced.

Mr. Khatami, on his part, made two additional points. First, he expressed his country's complete rejection of the moves in the U.S. to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Second, he pointed out that the U.S. had deliberately escalated the Iraqi crisis, in order to divert international attention from Israeli oppression of the Palestinian people.