From: yaser@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Ala)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian
Subject: Re: What is MKO position on the Islands?
Date: 9 Oct 92 23:07:22 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvvMwB.GrJ
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

ghbr@fmg.bt.co.uk (Hossein Bagherzadeh Rafsanjani) writes:

>You know very well that we are talking not about an invading army
>ravaging Iran but a claim on a disputed island.  And kicking out a
>group of defenceless fisherpeople from their home (yes, they are
>"people" too) is no act of "anti-imperialism".  The Americans are not
>going to leave the Persian Gulf just because Iran managed to accupy
>this island.  Quite the contrary, these actions make them more
>detremine to stay, and the "weak" Arab states more eager to seek their
>support.  Isn't your argument somehow similar to what Saddam Hossein
>used in invading Kuwait (no matter how his claim or the Iranian
>regime's in this respect were/are valid)?  And we all know the result
>of that, don't we?

I did not call for invading any part of a country neither I called
for expulsion of poor people.  The great and Minor Tonbs are
uninhabited.  There are no natives there and of course there is
no water.  There are a few Navy posts there and with a few soldiers
gaurding the island.  The island of Abu-Musaa is in two parts.
One part of the island is the Iranian Navy installations and the other
part is the natives who are mostly if not all Arabs.  The strategic
significance is with Tonb's.  Abu-musaa's significance is only for
providing support for any possible force moved into Tonbs.

No doubt it is in the interest of Iran to have control over the Persian Gulf.
This is our main trade channel and for thousands of years we have been
using this channel and we will for a long time.  The United Arab Emarates
came into existance no so long ago.  Before that there were no government.
There were sheikhdoms.  The borders are not still defined.  A few days
ago there was a border clash between Saudis and Qatari border patrol in
which Saudis killed three Qataris (imagine what would happen if this has
happened between Iran and Qatar?).  Therefore these Shiekdoms cannot
calim something they never had.  There are concrete historical evidences
that these islands have been part of Iran for centuries.

It seems to me that your siding with Arabs on this issue is because
you are trying to embarras IRI to settle your differences with
this government.  MKO has the same objective plus the fact that
their sponcers are US government and reactionary Arab states.
As I said before our national defense has priority over internal issues.
Unfortunately many Iranians let their hatred of the current regime
side them with the forces that are against our very existance.

Considering the small population of the Abu-musaa and the fact that
no one lives on the other two islands the arguement for the well
being of POOR FISHERMANS does not seem that significant knowing that
these people would probably not benefit from being with shaky Arab
states on the margin of PERSIAN Gulf.  The well being of Iranian
people is without any doubt is in control of their trade routes.
This is regardless of the type of government in place in Iran.
The threats and political pressures exist but can always be dealt
with diplomacy.

If I said something with regard to defending the land is because
I thought it is SO obvious that anyone belong to a nation should
go to the defense of the territorial integrity of that nation.
This is true all over the world.  It seems like you have questions
regarding this national duty. But again this is not surprising
knowing your positions regarding such matters as marriage and
others.  Your way of thinking is very unconventional and definately
ouside the main stream.

>-hossein

Ala
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian