IRAN AMOK WITH TERROR ON 2 FRONTS
By URI DAN
April 23, 2004 -- JERUSALEM - There are two theaters of terrorism in the Mideast these days - one featuring Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the other, Muqtada al-Sadr in Iraq. And, according to Israeli intelligence, they have a common link: the mullahs of Tehran.
Iran is encouraging Muslim militancy in both theaters in order to ensure that Tehran - and not Osama bin Laden or anyone else - will control the future of the Islamic revolution.
Hamas needs Iran's help, particularly in the aftermath of Israel's back-to-back assassinations of its two leaders, Sheik Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, in the past month.
It was Rantisi, slain last Saturday, who opened the gates of Gaza to Iran.
He welcomed the flow of arms and money from Iran to Palestinian terrorists that was sorely needed after the fall of Saddam Hussein, who had routinely provided $25,000 to the families of homicide bombers.
The Iranian connection to terrorists also runs through the Shiite Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.
An internal report by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, dated Monday, says Iran is playing a double game.
On the one hand, it claims to be a force for stability. In reality, Iran wants the situation in Iraq to deteriorate to "blacken the face of Washington in the Arab and Muslim world."
The Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronoth reported how Italian intelligence found that Iran is investing $70 million a month in the Iraqi insurgency. Iraqi Shiite rebel Sadr and Hamas' Rantisi recently gave "identical speeches in which they vowed not to let the Arab-hater George Bush be re-elected."
In the Mideast, that's no coincidence.
http://www.nypost.com/commentary/19410.htmIran-France strengthen ties
Apr 23, 2004, 06:28
http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_2123.shtml Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi who is currently on a visit to France said on late Wednesday that ties between Iran and France have experienced a significant growth in recent years.
Ample natural energy resources in Iran and the significant role of the country in restoration of peace and security in the region have made France to seriously consider expansion of ties with Iran, he continued.
Level of exchanges in economic and commercial sectors registered a 30 percent growth last year which prepares the grounds for expansion of political and cultural cooperation between the two sides, he said.
"Our excellent position has persuaded the French people to consider us as their trading partner which we welcome," he pointed out.
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2004/04/22/news/religion/religion01.txt Doctor Zin: Thought you might like this:
Mennonites Wally and Evie Shellenberger talk about their three years in the Mideast By Les Gehrett
Albany Democrat-Herald
When Wally and Evie Shellenberger traveled to Iran three years ago as part of a religious student exchange program, they had no idea of the changes that would soon take place in the world.
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