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Iran views terrorism as a legitimate
means to further its ideological and strategic aims
By: Hassan Karimi
Mar 3, 2007
Since the establishment of the Islamic
Republic in 1979, Iran views terrorism as a legitimate means to further
its ideological and strategic aims - to “export the Revolution”. Iran
assists Islamic groups and organizations worldwide, especially in the
Middle East - in striving to attack Israel, whose existence is not
recognized by Iran; and in attempting to sabotage the political process
and destabilize the regimes of the more pragmatic Arab countries.
Terrorism is also a means of eliminating the Iranian regime’s
opposition.
Since the Islamic regime came into power
in 1979, it has consistently acted to eliminate Iranian opposition
activists outside the country and has invested considerable
intelligence efforts in surveillance and tracking-down of anyone
conceived as a threat to the regime. In spite of its undercover
nature, Iran’s worldwide involvement in international terrorism cannot
always be concealed. Occasionally, events come to light that are proof
of Iranian government's involvement in terrorist activities. For
instance, the March 1996 discovery, in Belgium, of a Howitzer canon
sent by ship from Iran to Germany; or the involvement of the highest
Iranian officials in the assassination of Kurdish leaders in Germany,
the so-called “Mikanos Affair”.
Since the “Madrid Conference” in October
1991, Iran has been active in attempting to disrupt the peace process
in the Middle East, on the grounds that it threatens to increase
Iran's political isolation in the region, and to limit its influence
and harm its interests in Lebanon. This opposition lead Iran to
strengthen its ties with those Palestinian organizations that oppose
the peace process, such as “The Palestinian Islamic Jihad” (PIJ),
Hamas and the various “Fronts”. Iran hoped that terrorist attacks
carried out by the Palestinian organizations, together with those
perpetrated by “Hizballah”, would hamper the Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations. This goal concurs with the basic Iranian hostility
towards Israel that originates from the regime’s Islamic religious
ideology. Iran refuses to recognize Israel’s existence, and refers to
Israel as “the occupation regime of al Quds”, and constantly calls for
the destruction of Israel.
Khomeini bequeathed to his successors
the support for the armed struggle of the “Muslim Militants”. Since
his death Iran has expanded and improved the terror option. Although
the claim is heard frequently in the West, that only the Iranian
radicals support terrorism, the reality has proved otherwise. The
radicals in recent years have been ousted from the centers of power,
whereas both the Iranian spiritual leader, Khamena’I, and President
Rafsanjani were in all probability, directly involved in ordering the
execution of terrorist attacks. Moreover, there are several Iranian
agencies involved (directly or indirectly) in terrorism abroad: the
Ministry of Intelligence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Guardians of the Revolution. Various other Iranian organizations,
cultural centers and mosques serve as an infrastructure for the
recruitment of local militants and as a cover for terrorist activity.
The Islamic regime’s determination to
continue supporting terrorism, frowned upon by the international
community, has forced the Iranian Foreign Ministry to strive, under
extreme international pressure, to offset the damage caused by this
policy to Tehran’s economic and political ties. Iran does not deny its
adherence to Khomeini’s “Islamic Revolutionary Ideology”, which
supports all radical Islamic movements worldwide, but stresses that
Iranian assistance is merely cultural, moral and humanitarian in
nature. Tehran strongly denies any military and/or financial
assistance to these movements. It must be emphasized that such denial
is deeply imbedded in the Shi’ite tradition, in the principle of the
“taqyy’a” (concealing the faith).
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