Iranian Parliament Brands US Forces and CIA With Terrorism, in Retaliation to US House of Representatives' Branding of Iranian Revolutionary Guards With Same Label

Iranian official backs labelling U.S. army, CIA as terrorists

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-30 20:56:59 Print

Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

TEHRAN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) --

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Sunday that he supported the recent Majlis (parliament) statement to brand the U.S. army and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as terrorist groups.

"Terrorist is a proper label for the military and security forces of the United States," Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters at his weekly press conference.

When asked about the recent approval of the U.S. House of Representative which put the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)on the list of terrorist organizations, Hosseini said "placing the armed forces of the UN member states on the list of terrorist groups is unprecedented."

Iranian lawmakers on Saturday branded the U.S. troops and the CIA as terrorist groups, apparently a sharp reaction tit-for-tat over the decisions of their U.S. counterparts.

More than 200 Iranian MPs said in a statement that "the U.S. army and the CIA themselves are terrorists since they support terrorism."

"They support Israel's state terrorism in its crackdown on Palestinian and Lebanese people, trained al-Qaida and Taliban, and established secret prisons in Europe, torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib," the MPs said.

They also demanded the United Nations to intervene in the "global problem of U.S. prisons in Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and secret jails in other countries."

The statement was released just three days after the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives called on the U.S. State Department to brand Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

Washington has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran denied the U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Iranian lawmakers label U.S. troops and CIA as "terrorist"

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-29 23:40:51 Print

Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

TEHRAN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) --

Iranian lawmakers on Saturday branded the U.S. troops and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as terrorist groups, according to a statement released by the Iranian state media.

The statement said that more than 200 Iranian parliament members (MPs) labeled the U.S. army and the CIA as terrorists since they support terrorism. It is apparently a sharp reaction tit for tat over the decisions of their U.S. counterparts calling for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a "foreign terrorist organization."

"They (the U.S. army and the CIA) support Israel's state terrorism in its crackdown on Palestinian and Lebanese people, trained Al-Qaida and Taliban and established secret prisons in Europe, torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib," added the statement.

Moreover, the Iranian MPs demanded the United Nations to intervene in the "global problem of U.S. prisons in Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and secret jails in other countries."

The statement was just released three days after the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives called on the U.S. State Department to brand Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini condemned the action, saying "putting armed forces of the UN member countries on the list of terrorist groups is a strange and unprecedented act which lacks any value or credit."

Washington, however, has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Iran condemns U.S. for placing Revolutionary Guards on terrorist list

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-26 23:57:31 Print

TEHRAN, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) --

Tehran on Wednesday condemned the U.S. House of Representatives for putting Iran's elite Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on the list of terrorist organizations.

"Putting armed forces of the UN member countries on the list of terrorist groups is a strange and unprecedented act which lacks any value or credit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said in a statement.

Such "uncalculated and illegally baseless" decisions will not help in restoration of peace and security worldwide, Hosseini said.

Instead, the move will prepare conditions under which any country allows itself to defy international regulations and put the legal and official institutions of other countries on the listof terrorist groups under false charges, he said.

The spokesman said "those who are after raising charges against the IRGC are in fact putting themselves in front of the 70 million Iranian population."

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday to tighten sanctions on Iran and called on the U.S. government to brand Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

The bill, passed by 397 votes to 16, was proposed by Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

It aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran by sanctioning foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries which invest in Iran, particularly in the oil and gas sectors.

It also prohibits U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation with nations that support Iran's nuclear program and calls on the U.S. government to urge foreign states and banks to divest from Iranian interests.

Iran has been under U.S. sanctions as U.S. laws impose sanctions on any foreign company that invests 20 million dollars or more in Iran's energy industry.

Washington has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

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