IRAN CONFIRMED ITS ROLE AS THE MAIN SUPPORTER OF "TERRORISTS"
TEHRAN, 2 Jun. (IPS) The Islamic Republic of Iran confirmed its role as the main supporter of "terrorist" organisations with the two-day conference opened in Tehran Sunday in defence of the Palestinian "intifada", or uprising against Israel, attended by the leaders of several Arab, Lebanese and Palestinian hard-line groups that call fro the destruction of the Jewish State.
Leaders from the Iran-created Islamic Jihad of Palestine, HAMAS, the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, -- all on the American list of "terrorist organisations" --, were present at the conference, named "International Conference on "Imam Khomeini and Support for Palestine" and organised in commemoration of Grand Ayatollah Roohollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic revolution of 1979.
In his message to the venue, at which are taking part some 160 high-ranking officials from Iran and 23 other countries, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, the leader of the Islamic Republic said the conference is yet another "symbolic and valuable initiative intended to inspire the struggle of the Palestinian people against the occupiers".
As the conference started, Western intelligence sources said Iran had launched a training program for Palestinian militants in the use of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles.
Worldtribune website quoted unidentifed sources saying members of the PFLP-GC as well as HAMAS and Mr. Yaser Arafat's Fattah members are being instructed by Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the use of SA-7 surface-to-air missiles with the aim of shooting down Israeli combat aircrafts.
"The Berlin-based "Die Welt" daily said the training has been conducted in the Bek'a Valley near the Syrian border" and added that "at least 20 Palestinians are being trained in a course headed by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Brig. Gen. Ali Reza Tamiz", the usually well-informed website said.
Like Mr. Khameneh'i, the participants, that included Mr. Ahmad Jibril, the leader of the PFLP-GC,
who’s son, Jihad was killed last month in Beirut, an assassination that Mr. Jibril imputed to Israel’s Mosad, Ramadan Abdullah, head of the Islamic Jihad and Sheikh Na’im Qasem, vice-General Secretary of the Hezbollah, rejected any negotiations with Israel and denounced ongoing talks between the Palestinian Authority of Mr. Yaser Arafat and Israel."Today, the Palestinian people, being inspired with the Islamic faith continue to sacrifice their lives in order to build a future that was beyond the imagination of the enemies and even the friends of Palestine", the lamed Iranian leader said, adding that what is now going on in Palestine amply demonstrates the "imminent unfolding of an ultimate future that has been promised by Allah to the faithful and unfaltering Mojaheds".
He did not said what exactly Allah, or God, had promised the Palestinians, but urged governments and peoples of the Muslim world, particularly the Arab nations, to "mobilise all material and spiritual resources to boost the morale of the Palestinian people in their holy jihad against the occupiers", the official news agency IRNA reported.
Addressing the meeting, Speaker of the Iranian Majles, or parliament, Hojjatoleslam Mehdi Karroobi, also hinted that Islamic countries must consider "punishing any Muslim country which refuses to cooperate in the battle against the Zionist regime's expansionist moves".
"Imam (Khomeini), during his lifetime, always reiterated that Islamic countries should rebuke, threaten or sever ties with any government which fell short of cooperating in the fight against Zionist domination in order to force it to cooperate", he said, calling on the Arab and Muslim oil-rich countries to "use oil or other means in their hands as weapons against Israel" by refusing to sell it to those governments which assist the Zionist regime".
Two months ago, Iranian lamed leader proposed that Muslim oil exporters refrain from selling crude to all countries that support Israel for a "symbolic" one month period, but stepped backed as soon as Iraq did in fact took up the suggestion and stopped exporting oil, arguing that "single action would achieve nothing".
Speakers said the latest peace proposals as "nothing more than an empty trick to get the Palestinians to give up the intifada" and warned that the Americans were trying to "extinguish the flames in Palestine so that they could get on with their plan to strike other Arab countries and movements".
Martyrdom was indeed one of the main themes of the opening speeches at the conference, organiser, Hojjatoleslam Ali-Akbar Mohtashemipoor, considered as the "godfather" the Lebanese Hezbollah, said that the Palestinian intifada, and especially the suicide bombings, had achieved "more than all the Arab wars and peace talks with Israel"."The late Imam Khomeini has said that Israel is a cancerous tumour in the heart of the Muslim world which should be removed. Otherwise, it will destroy the Islamic Ummah, or nation", added Mr. Mohtashemipour, who is also the leader of the pro-Khatami Second Khordad Coalition in the reformists-dominated Majles.
Both Mr. Jibril and the Islamic Jihad leader told the BBC that suicide bomb attacks would continue because they were the only weapons the Palestinians had in an unequal battle.
Iranian political analysts said though it is not expected that anything practical would come out of this conference, but it will certainly increase tension between Tehran and Washington and also cause damages to Iran’s relations with the European Union, Islamic Republic’s main brake on further American sanctions against Iran.
The 15-members European Union vehemently rejected President George W. Bush’s labelling the Islamic Republic as an "evil state" and said it would continue with its policy of "constructive dialogue" with Tehran and firm backing to the government of President Mohammad Khatami, they consider as "moderate".
"This could entail diplomatic damage for Tehran, coming as it does at a time when the European Union is debating whether to renew talks on trade and co-operation agreements with the Islamic republic", commented BBC’s Tehran correspondent Jim Muir.
In recent remarks, President Bush and both his senior adviser for National Security and Defence Minister accused Iran of continuing its support for international terrorism and terrorist organisation.
"If the American needed any prove for their accusations against the Islamic Republic, the Iranian offered them a very good one in bringing together in Tehran the leaders of all the groups Washington has listed as terrorists", one Iranian scholar commented, asking for anonymity. ENDS INTIFADA CONF 2602