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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) NNNN Source: Voice of America .