RAFSANJANI CONDEMN'S HIJACKINGS AND SUPER-

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 13642

TERREP EXCLUSIVE

E.O. 12356:OADR
TAGS: PTER PREL
SUBJECT: RAFSANJANI CONDEMN'S HIJACKINGS AND SUPER-
POWER TERRORISM

REF: TOKYO 13620 (NOTAL)


1. (CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT).


2. ACCORDING TO THE TOKYO PRESS JULY 4, IRANIAN MAJLIS
SPEAKER RAFSANJANI TOLD REPORTERS AT A JULY 3 PRESS
CONFERENCE THAT IRAN CONDEMNS HIJACKINGS AND ANY OTHER
TERRORIST ACTS. AT THE SAME TIME, RAFSANJANI IS QUOTED
AS CONDEMNING ABOVE ALL THE ROOT CAUSE OF TERRORISM
WHICH, HE SAID, HINGES UPON THE ACTIONS OF THE SUPER-
POWERS AND SOME OTHER STATES. RAFSANJANI REPORTEDLY
SAID IT WAS WRONG TO CONDEMN THE TWA HIJACKERS WITHOUT
CONDEMING ISRAEL FOR DETAINING OVER SEVEN HUNDRED
LEBANESE. HE ALSO ACCUSED FRANCE OF SUPPORTING IRANIAN
COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY TERRORISTS, WHO HE SAID ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY DEATHS OF IRANIAN GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS AND OTHERS. RAFSANJANI REPORTEDLY ADDED THAT,
IF THESE MAJOR ACTS OF TERRORISM DISAPPEAR, MINOR
TERRORISM WILL ALSO END.


3. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE "DAILY YOMIURI"
JULY 3, RAFSANJANI REPORTEDLY CLAIMED THAT U.S. EFFORTS
TO RETALIATE FOR THE TWA HIJACKING, SUCH AS ACTIONS
DIRECTED AGAINST MEA, WOULD NEVER PROVIDE A FUNDAMENTAL
SOLUTION TO END TERRORISM. THUS, HE SAID AS LONG AS
THE U.S. CARRIES OUT "BIGGER TERRORISM" AGAINST SMALL
STATES, SUCH AS LEBANON AND IRAN, OTHER TERRORIST
ACTIVITIES COULD NOT BE BROUGHT TO AN END.


4. ON IRAN'S RELATIONS WITH THE U.S., RAFSANJANI SAID
NO IMPROVEMENT COULD BE POSSIBLE UNTIL THE U.S.
"ACKNOWLEDGES ITS PAST MISDEEDS". HE ADDED THAT NO
RAPPROCHEMENT BETWEEN IRAN AND THE U.S. WAS POSSIBLE
SO LONG AS PRESIDENT REAGAN REMAINS IN OFFICE.


5. COMMENT: EMBASSY WILL RECEIVE MOFA READ-OUT ON
RAFSANJANI'S DISCUSSIONS HERE FOLLOWING RAFSANJANI'S
DEPARTURE JULY 5.

MANSFIELD