"What happened in New York and in Washington on 11 September was a new form of war and the use of new methods in terrorism", Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani noted, warning that one has to act "before more dangerous forms (of terrorism) are employed", an obvious reference to the much talked about chemical and biological materials.

The ninety-minutes "landmark" speech pronounced at Tehran University during the traditional Friday priers surprised many Iranian analysts by the moderation of tone, the objectivity of remarks, the sense of pragmatism, the foresight of proposals and the evenhandedness of criticism addressed to the Bush Administration in handling the "unprecedented" crisis.

The sermon was monitored in Paris by Iran Press Service.

"If one makes correct use of the recent terrorist events in America, one can stand witness to the end of insecurities and instabilities that are now plaguing the world", Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani said in his address that sharply contrasted with the harsh anti-American, anti-Israeli remarks made two days before by Mr. Khameneh’i.

"Ruling out Iranian participation at any international coalition that is led by Washington, Ayatollah Khameneh’I had stated that Iran will not provide any help to America or its allies in their planned invasion of neighbouring, Muslim Afghanistan", because, he added, the United States lacked "sincerity and competence" to lead a global campaign against terrorism.

"The world is filled with infectious terrorist breading hotbeds", the regime’s virtual number two man noted while analysing the "roots and logics" behind the recent terrorist operations in the United States, where Muslim suicide terrorists crushed hijacked passenger planes into the World Trade Center twin towers in New York and over the Pentagon, or the Defence Ministry in Washington D.C., killing and wounding thousands of people.

Not only the Assembly is Islamic Republic’s highest arbitration institution, but also often acts as a legislative body and duplicates the government.

"Iranians expressed sympathy with the Americans in conditions whereas they had acted very badly. Not only they never shared our pains, but were happy instead. And all this whilst not only our media never took a revengeful position but also expressed sympathy with American people and statesmen", Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani added in his sermon described by Iranian observers as both "moderate" and "academic", since it was also filled with lessons of statesmanship to American leaders.

Some 600 young people took part at the ceremony in Maadar, or Mother, square in northern Tehran, said an AFP correspondent at the scene.

Security forces moved into the square and ordered the crowds to disperse after the participants, mostly aged between 16 and 35, placed candles around a statue.

They were later seen pushing, or running after the participants with batons, sometimes even kicking them.

The police action came some 30 minutes after the young people surrounded the square, standing side by side, holding flowers and candles in their hands in memory of the thousands of victims of the September 11 attacks.

Several minutes of silence were observed before groups of people began singing Iranian patriotic songs.

It was the second major public gathering in Tehran in memory of the attacks in New York and Washington that Iran swiftly condemned.

"We suffered from terrorism for 22 years, feeling its bitter taste. During all these years, not only arrogant powers never expressed any concern, but also provided shelter to terrorists, let them free to collect money, to have radio and television and publications, going as far as even to meet them", he noted in a calm voice, referring to the Baghdad-based, Iraqi supported, financed and trained Mojahedeen Khalq Organisation.

He said the 11 September attack on the United States presents both a "positive and negative" sides, citing the worldwide solidarity with America, the debates and scientific round tables by experts to understand the roots of the problem and the readiness of the United Nations to find solution for this "global dilemma" among the positive aspects that had "no precedence in any case".

In his view, the weakness of American leaders and their inability to handle correctly the recent crisis was part of the negative side of the tragic events in the United States, adding that also "confusion" had overtaken American officials.

"No one had ever received such a blow, especially a bunch of arrogant people. We give them reason. The crisis was very hard. But so are the difficulties", the ADSI Chairman said, evaluating as "bad" the attitude of the American media "left without any control and guidelines in a great nation like America", he argued, not only ignoring obviously the freedom the American media enjoys under the sacro-saint "press freedom act" but also because he belong to a system where the press is severely censored and controlled by the government.

According to Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani, "the first result" of this absence of control over the media in the United States was that they get "close to a war of religion, leading to the rise of hate between American people and the non Americans, particularly Arabs and Muslims".

"If this animosity is fanned further and continue unchecked, as we saw in the arson against mosques and burning of Koran (Muslim’s holy book), the other side would not remain idle and let these insult continue unanswered", he went on, as reported by the official news agency IRNA.

"This is another negative aspect of the recent events, for, the United States should have warned Israel against such actions immediately, for, shedding of innocent Palestinians blood not only diminishes Muslim’s support for the United States, but also give credit to the rumours that the Israeli abuses the situation in order to finish the job in the occupied lands".

Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani criticised some of President George W. Bush’s "hasty" statements, saying that a "a country like America that possesses the world’s greatest military power mustn’t use expressions such as "declaring war.

Coming to American accusation against Mr. Osama Ben Laden, the prime suspect behind the 11 September operations, Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani said Washington should provide clear evidence and information to the pubic.

"Willingly or unwillingly or because of other reasons we ignore, America is not providing with clear information about the incident. This is another weakness in leadership and crisis handling. How one would expect co-operation from others when no one, even American closest allies knows nothing, he noted, criticising sarcastically American leaders "show of power and arrogance".

"In the one hand, they name their operations as "Justice Unlimited" and then "Enduring Freedom", without being able to bring neither an unlimited justice nor the everlasting liberty", he said.

"More over", he added, "the American proffers menaces against some countries, threatening that they would start with "Al Qa’eda" before going to get the nations that support terrorism, the list of such countries published before hand. It is obvious that they would refuse to co-operate.

"The days of diktats are over. Today’s conditions are those of co-operation, not antagonism", he said, referring to the American list of "rogue countries" that are alleged to "support international terrorism and terrorist organisations" and also includes Iran.

"Al Qa’eda" is the name of Mr. Ben Laden’s best-known organisation, the one that is reported to have planed and conducted the 11 September operations.

"I do not say that the Americans' accusations are baseless, but I say that they should offer evidence", Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani said candidly.

"We should reach a common definition of terrorism and find out the manifestations of terrorism. We must know if there is terrorism in (Northern) Ireland, in Chechnya or in Tibet or not? America likes to tag the (Iran backed) Lebanese Hezbollah movement that fights to boot Israel out of its nation as terrorist. (But) one has to distinguish between liberation forces and terrorists, Ayatollah Hashemi-Rafsanjani said, noting that all efforts should be concentrated at the United Nations.

Iran shut down the Israeli "Delegation" in Tehran and cut its ties with Tel-Aviv immediately after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The state-organised procession was led by several Palestinians who are in Iran receiving medication for injuries sustained during the uprising in the occupied lands, chanting "Death to Israel".

They also seize the moment to voice their opposition against possible U.S. military attacks on Afghanistan and stressed "Iran will not take part in any international attack led by the United States".

"Under the auspices of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, we condemn terrorism in any form and call on the United Nations to adopt a serious stance against terrorism with co-operation of all world states" said a final communiqué.

"I know it is not any easy task, but since the future of humanity is in danger, we must strive to fight terrorism", Mr. Hashemi-Rafsanjani, considered as Ayatollah Khameneh’i’s mentor, continued.

Tehran and Washington cut their relations in November 1979 after Iranian revolutionary students stormed the American embassy in Tehran and kept 55 American diplomats as hostage for 444 days.

Ever since, Washington imposed a unilateral economic and military embargo against Iran.

Congress re-conducted last month the sanctions for another five years while the State Department kept Iran on its list of nations supporting terrorism. Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, Libya and Iraq are also on the same list.

But informed sources said in order to encourage Iran to co-operate in its efforts to get Mr. Ben Laden "dead or alive", President Bush is considering to ask the Congress to end the sanctions and delete Iran from the "black list".