thr 034                                                               


Press-Straw-Visit   /GNR/                                             


  Daily calls for transparency of talks between British-Iranian      


officials                                                             


Tehran, Sept 25, IRNA -- `Tehran Times' on Tuesday commenting on the  


current visit of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to Iran, called 


for a complete transparency of any talks related to the recent US     


crisis between British and Iranian officials, to keep the nation as   


well as the world public abreast of all information.                  


    Hosting the British official at a time when military forces of his


country, along with US forces are getting prepared to attack          


Afghanistan and massacre innocent Afghans leaves room for question,   


warned the English-language daily in its opinion column.              


    The daily said that Iran's approval of or opposition to US        


military aggression on Afghanistan may directly affect these          


operations.                                                           


    The daily also said another fact that must be borne in mind is    


that Iran's position, as a revolutionary government, can strongly     


influence the opinion of the Muslim nations.                          


    In view of the sensitivity of the issue, it would therefore be    


more appropriate if the contents of the talks between the officials   


of Iran and Britain be made transparent, in order to keep the         


Iranians and world public informed in this regard, suggested the      


daily.                                                                


    Surely, "after the end of these talks and upon Straw's return to  


London, the US military machine will wage its premeditated aggression 


on Afghanistan regardless of the outcome of the Tehran talks,"        


predicted the daily.                                                  


    Iranian officials must be quick and prompt in announcing their    


principled stance to the world clearly as soon as their talks with the


British side are over, concluded the daily.                           


FH/HM                                                                 


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::irna    12:45