thr 020                                                               


Attack-U.S.-Iran /POL/                                                


   Top Iran cleric slams "terrorist" attacks on U.S.                 


Tehran, Sept 14, IRNA -- Senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Mohammad     


Emami Kashani on Friday condemned what he called "terrorist" attacks  


in the United States and called for an international move against     


terrorism.                                                            


    Addressing the worshipers attending the weekly Friday             


congregational prayers, Kashani singled out the kamikaze attacks on   


U.S. landmarks as "tragic" and said: "how can one remain indifferent  


toward such an incident which has set aflame a slew of innocent men,  


women and children."                                                  


    He said that the Islamic Republic condemns such an "astonishing"  


incident orchestrated by a unknown number of "terrorists."            


    Thousands are still missing as rescue crews swarmed over the      


wreckage of the collapsed World Trade Center's two 110-story towers,  


where 40,000 people once worked. In the worst attack on American soil 


since Pearl Harbor, three hijacked planes slammed into the Pentagon   


and New York's landmark World Trade Center on Tuesday, demolishing the


two 110-story towers that symbolize U.S. financial might.             


    Kashani inveighed against the racist Israel and branded it as a   


"blatant manifestation of state terrorism." He said Israel has        


infiltrated into the American administration to influence its         


policies.                                                             


    He gave a downbeat assessment of the atmosphere created           


against Muslims in the U.S. following the attacks and argued "Why they


attribute such actions to Muslims?"                                   


    "Does Islam allow such actions? Can an Islamic state jeopardize   


lives of innocent people?"                                            


    "The Zionist regime is attempting to fish in troubled waters.     


Pressuring the Muslims will bear no fruit," Kashani said, adding,     


"the incident is worrisome and is condemned, but it should serve to   


be a lesson for all the powers, especially the US, to adopt a new     


approach."                                                            


    On Thursday, Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Israel is


trying to exploit the terrorist attacks in the U.S. for purely        


provocative purposes.                                                 


    He said Israel's behavior in light of the complex regional        


(Mid-East) situation will have negative consequences in the minds of  


world Muslims and Muslim nations.                                     


    The Jewish state is not recognized by the Islamic Republic which  


has always called for the destruction of the racist Israeli regime as 


the only solution to the turbulent Middle East peace process.         


    Iran has vehemently condemned the kamikaze terrorist attacks in   


the United States and expressed its deep sorrow and sympathy with the 


American nation. It has also called for an end to terrorism.          


BG/AK                                                                 


End                                                                   


::irna    15:15