thr 038                                                               


Iran-Terrorism-UN /POL/                                               


   Iran's FM, Annan discuss UN-led anti-terror campaign              


Tehran, Sept 28, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and   


UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan discussed on phone Friday an          


international anti-terror campaign as well as the latest developments 


in Afghanistan.                                                       


    Annan expressed gratification with the Islamic Republic for taking


up an "active diplomacy" through conducting intense lobbies with the  


European Union, following the September 11 terror attacks in the      


United States.                                                        


    He said it was important for the world countries, especially      


Europe, to be kept abreast of Iran's stance on the recent world       


developments.                                                         


    "The United Nations has put the issue of dealing with terrorism in


its agenda," Annan said, adding the campaign would go ahead smoothly  


provided that the world countries stick to the central role of the    


UN in the fight.                                                      


    He said he was striving to find "appropriate mechanisms" to       


help Afghan refugees who have flooded the country's borders with      


neighboring countries since a U.S.-led attack on the alleged          


terrorist bases in the country has loomed large.                      


    Kharrazi reiterated the UN's central role in the campaign         


against international terrorism, saying "the Islamic Republic of      


Iran believes that the United Nations should become the axis of the   


anti-terror fight so that the necessary unanimity for the campaign    


against this ominous phenomenon is achieved."                         


    "The UN should attend to the fate of the Afghan people and        


provide the necessary assistance for them," the Iranian foreign       


minister added.                                                       


    Iran was quick to condemn the September 11 attacks that left over 


6,000 people dead or missing at the World Trade Center and the        


Pentagon despite the fact that it does not have diplomatic ties with  


the United States since U.S. Embassy staff were held captive for 444  


days in 1980 by Iranian revolutionary students.                       


    Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said that "the 


Islamic Republic of Iran will not provide any help to America or its  


allies in case they attack" the ruling Taliban militia in Afghanistan,


accused by Washington of harboring the mastermind of September 11's   


attacks on U.S. trade and defense centers, Osama bin Laden.           


    "America does not have the competence to guide a global movement  


against terrorism, and...Iran will not participate in any move which  


is headed by the United States," the leader said.                     


    Iran says the campaign against terrorism should be led by the     


United Nations.                                                       


    President Mohammad Khatami, in a meeting with the visiting EU     


delegation on Wednesday, called for a fundamental campaign against    


terrorism in which all world nations will stand prominent in the      


struggle.                                                             


    He said the international community is justified to deal with     


terrorists in a manner it sees appropriate provided there was         


sufficient evidence of the guilt of the suspect or suspects.          


    Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said here Friday


Iran is ready to take part in a UN-led anti-terror campaign provided  


that the United States does not impose its ideas.                     


    "If the United States decides not to impose its own will, we are  


ready to join the anti-terrorism coalition under the umbrella of the  


United Nations despite our differences with the United States,"       


Rafsanjani told worshipers at the weekly Friday congregational prayers


at Tehran University.                                                 


BH/AK                                                                 


End                                                                   


::irna    14:47