Iran Calls for Alliance to Combat U.S. and Israel 

"PA" 

02/1705 "The Scotsman" - - Iran urged regional countries to create 
a powerful alliance today and remain vigilant in the face of "US and
Israeli plots."

The call came a day after Syria and Iran declared they would form a
united front in the face of any threats.

The US has recently escalated its criticism of both Syria and Iran,
demanding that Syria withdraw its troops from Lebanon and accusing
Tehran of running a covert nuclear weapons programme.

The US has also said both countries need to do more to prevent
insurgents from travelling to Iraq from their territory.

Iran's powerful former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, speaking 
after meeting Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji al-Otari, said
strengthening relations between Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and 
other Islamic states in the region was of great importance.

He said it was in the interests of their people to create a powerful
alliance through close cooperation.

Rafsanjani, who is widely expected to run in Iran's June presidential
elections, said that the United States and Israel were trying to
create divisions among the region's countries, which he said must
"stay completely vigilant vis-a-vis the US and Israeli plots in this
regard."

Al-Otari said Israel was "the source of instability" in the Middle
East and that Syria would continue supporting the Palestinians and
Lebanese in their struggle.

The relationship between the Persian Shiite Iran and Arab countries
have been rocky for some time. They were strained after the Islamic
revolution in Iran 1979, and relations worsened when Saddam Hussein
launched his eight year war against Iran in 1980. Almost all Arab
countries - with a notable exception of Syria - supported Saddam's 
war out of fear that Iran's revolution would spread to other countries.

Copyright: The Scotsman.

Source: Information Clearing House...
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8111.htm


Cheers, Steve...

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