ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <!-- saved from url=(0129)http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/article48a7.html?cu_no=1&item_no=927&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258 --> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Al Jazeera - objective and balanced global news coverage and analysis- Features</TITLE><!-- Mirrored from english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=927&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2003], Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:12:10 GMT --> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-16"> <META http-equiv=Content-Type><LINK href="article-iran-struggles_files/style.css" type=text/css rel=stylesheet> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2722.900" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY leftMargin=0 topMargin=10 rightMargin=0> <DIV align=center xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <CENTER> <TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" align=left><IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/banner.gif"></TD></TR> <TR> <TD><IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/mainheader.jpg"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV> <DIV align=center> <CENTER> <TABLE id=AutoNumber2 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#999999 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=770 border=1> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE id=AutoNumber3 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=dates id=hDate dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" width="80%" bgColor=#cccccc></TD> <TD dir=ltr width="20%" bgColor=#cccccc></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE id=AutoNumber4 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=768 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width=565> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colSpan=2 height=5></TD></TR> <TR> <TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" colSpan=2> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=indicationLink2 vAlign=top><A class=indicationLink href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/index.html">Homepage<IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=2 border=0></A><IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0><IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0>/ <IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=2 border=0><A class=indicationLink href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/topics/index8eb6.html?cu_no=1&amp;template_id=277&amp;temp_type=42">Features<IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=3 border=0></A>/ </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=6></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD><INPUT id=item_cu_no type=hidden value=1 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=item_no type=hidden value=927 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=version type=hidden value=1 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=date1 type=hidden value=25/03/2003 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=dateTime type=hidden value=" 9:47PM" xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"><INPUT id=articalText type=hidden value="<DIV dir=ltr align=left>&amp;nbsp;</DIV>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>It could hardly have been a more muted response. With a full-scale invasion of Iraq in progress, up to three missiles missed their targets and crashed inside Iranian territory, hitting an oil refinery depot in Abadan and injuring two people. Surely reason enough to prompt a frantic reaction from Tehran. But Iran’s public reaction bordered on the cordial. Officials mused that the rocket had apparently &quot;gone off course&quot; and made conciliatory noises. &#13;&#10;<TABLE width=10 align=right border=0>&#13;&#10;&#13;&#10;<TR>&#13;&#10;<TD align=middle><IMG height=150 src=_/mritems/images/2003/3/20/1_554_1_6.html width=190 border=0></TD></TR>&#13;&#10;<TR>&#13;&#10;<TD class=imgcaption id=Comment dir=rtl vAlign=top align=middle>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=rtl style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot; align=right><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 7.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt&quot;>Iran fears a Turkish military</SPAN><SPAN dir=rtl></SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'&quot;><SPAN dir=rtl></SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 7.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt&quot;>face-off</SPAN><SPAN dir=rtl></SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-font-size: 7.5pt&quot;><SPAN dir=rtl></SPAN>&amp;nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 7.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt&quot;>With the Kurds on its borders</SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = &quot;urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office&quot; /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></TD></TR></TABLE></SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>The United States, which broke diplomatic ties with Iran shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has responded by taking the unusual step of publicly acknowledging it has been communicating with Tehran over the missile incident through the Swiss embassy, which represents US interests in Iran. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;>&amp;nbsp;</SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;We take seriously Iranian sovereignty and territorial integrity,&quot; State Department deputy spokesman Phillip Reeker said. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic's top political figure struck a radically different tone.</SPAN><SPAN dir=rtl></SPAN><SPAN dir=rtl style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;><SPAN dir=rtl></SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>In a speech on Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the head of Iran's clerical establishment, railed <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>against the US-led attack on Iraq and said it represented the &quot;emergence of a new form of Hitlerism&quot;. Simultaneously, wires were quoting British commandos stationed in the Faw Peninsula saying that Iranian soldiers were taking pot-shots at them from across the&amp;nbsp;Arabian Gulf.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>The seemingly contradictory stances speak volumes about Iran's mixed feelings over the second US-led conflict on its doorstep in just over a year. Barely had the Islamic republic recovered from US accusations that it was harbouring Al-Qaeda elements escaping from Afghanistan that it&amp;nbsp;found itself&amp;nbsp;facing the prospect of renewed tension with Washington over Iraq. The country’s leadership is observing the encroaching US military presence on its borders as Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait – and soon Iraq too – host American troops. The occupation of Iraq will lead to the completion of a military ring around Iran that is causing concern in Tehran’s political circles.</SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;></SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN>&amp;nbsp;</P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>But this concern is not being made public. One reason could be the bad blood between Iran and its western neighbour. An eight-year war of the most ideological and personal kind was waged between Iraq and Iran, leaving around a million dead from both sides. Iran’s technological inferiority was&amp;nbsp;offset by ideological zeal&amp;nbsp;with ‘human waves’ crashing against Iraqi tanks. But the attitude of enmity towards Baghdad is balanced by the negative reaction towards Washington, whose long-standing opposition to Iran dates from the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Last year, Iran was one of three countries labelled an ‘axis of evil’ by the current Bush administration. </SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;></SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN>&amp;nbsp;</P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>This ambivalence towards taking sides was evident in comments made by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi in support of Iraq. He said that he objects &quot;to an attack against an Islamic country, to the broad violation of the international laws, and to laying the foundation of an unhealthy method in international relations that can lead to the emergence of a chaotic world in which force dictates the rules.&quot;But Kharrazi also stressed that the Iraqi government's conduct has led to his country suffering &quot;far more losses than any other country.&quot;</SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>But Tehran is under tremendous diplomatic pressure to preserve its neutrality. Iran has too much to lose and too little to gain by straying from its agreed policy of &quot;active neutrality&quot; over Iraq.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;A potential threat to Iran, (Saddam) is being removed, and they know they have to be on good behaviour because, if not, they could be next on Washington's list,&quot; said another local political analyst, who asked not to be named.</SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>In a war where the outcome is overwhelmingly expected to favour of the US-led troops, staying on best behaviour is essential if Iran is not to be thrown into the US firing line, diplomats say.</SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;They have been told through various third parties that they will not be next after Baghdad, but they've also been told not to meddle in Iraq,&quot; one Asian diplomat in Tehran said. All the same, Iran's military has placed its military in a state of alert and reinforced its border with Iraq as a precaution, particularly in areas adjoining Kurdish areas.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>Torn by its hatred of the two lead protagonists and deeply mistrustful of Turkish actions in North Iraq, Tehran remains on the sidelines – just. But Iran also stands to benefit from high oil prices over the duration of the conflict. With prices already down by $10 a barrel since the start of the war, the Iranian deputy oil minister, Mehdi Mir-Moezi, announced that he expects crude oil prices to drop to around $18 per barrel when the US-led war on Iraq ends. A protracted conflict, general regional instability and a weakened Iraq could well be in Iran’s best interests.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>On the other hand, the prospect of a ‘clientised,’ pro-US Iraq being used as a launchpad to foster tension against the Islamic republic is setting nerves on edge in Tehran. The prospect of Iran getting involved in the Iraq war is enough to send shivers down the spine of<SPAN style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes&quot;>&amp;nbsp; </SPAN>the Pentagon’s military planners. Not only would it signal a radical regional escalation, it could also mean that Turkey, as well as hitherto uninvolved countries such as Syria, Israel and Saudi Arabia, enter the fray. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>With an estimated half a million troops, around 300 combat aircraft and dozens of medium-range ballistic missiles at its disposal, Iran’s army poses a bigger threat to the US than Iraq's depleted and demoralised troops. On cue, Iran’s military warned on Sunday that it will &quot;react&quot; to fresh airspace violations of its airspace by US and British warplanes, according to the IRNA official news agency.</SPAN><SPAN style=&quot;FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=ltr style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; DIRECTION: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; TEXT-ALIGN: left; mso-layout-grid-align: none&quot;><SPAN style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial&quot;>&amp;nbsp;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=rtl style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot; align=right><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US&quot;>&quot;Our soldiers on the border are on full alert... If they observe the slightest violation of Iranian airspace or at the border they will certainly react,&quot; said Interior Minister Abdolvahed Musavi-Lari.</SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-QA&quot;><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=rtl style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot; align=right><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-QA&quot;></SPAN>&amp;nbsp;</P>&#13;&#10;<P class=MsoNormal dir=rtl style=&quot;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left&quot; align=right><SPAN dir=ltr style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-QA&quot;><STRONG>Al Jazeera<o:p></o:p></STRONG></SPAN></P>" xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TABLE id=AutoNumber5 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD> <TABLE id=AutoNumber5 style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" borderColor=#111111 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD dir=ltr width="100%"><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/xml/topics/printarticle48a7.xml?cu_no=1&amp;item_no=927&amp;version=1&amp;template_id=277&amp;parent_id=258"><IMG hspace=5 src="article-iran-struggles_files/print.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></A><IMG onmouseover="this.style.cursor = 'hand' ;" onclick=SendByEmail(); onmouseout="this.style.cursor = '' ;" hspace=5 src="article-iran-struggles_files/email.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=5></TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=articalTitle>Iran struggles to keep stance of active neutrality</TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=15></TD></TR> <TR> <TD id=artical vAlign=top></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=12></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width="100%" background=article-iran-struggles_files/h-dotedline-bg.gif><IMG height=1 src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=1></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD dir=ltr width="100%"><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/xml/topics/printarticle48a7.xml?cu_no=1&amp;item_no=927&amp;version=1&amp;template_id=277&amp;parent_id=258"><IMG hspace=5 src="article-iran-struggles_files/print.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></A><IMG onmouseover="this.style.cursor = 'hand' ;" onclick=SendByEmail(); onmouseout="this.style.cursor = '' ;" hspace=5 src="article-iran-struggles_files/email.gif" align=right vspace=5 border=0></TD></TR> <TR> <TD height=5></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2 xmlns:UDF="http://mycompany.com/mynamespace" xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt"> if(document.all.artical) document.all.artical.innerHTML = document.all.articalText.value ; </SCRIPT> </TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD> <TD dir=ltr width=1 bgColor=#cccccc><IMG height=1 src="article-iran-struggles_files/spacer.gif" width=1 border=0></TD> <TD vAlign=top width=202> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD><A href="http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/al-jazeera/index.html"><IMG src="article-iran-struggles_files/homepage.gif" border=0></A></TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR> <TR> <TD colSpan=3 height=8></TD></TR> <TR> <TD width=10></TD> <TD></TD> <TD width=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER></DIV><!-- Mirrored from english.aljazeera.net/topics/article.asp?cu_no=1&item_no=927&version=1&template_id=277&parent_id=258 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2003], Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:12:12 GMT --> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.2> if( document.all.date1 ) { docDate = document.all.date1.value ; } </SCRIPT> <SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="article-iran-struggles_files/HomeMenu.js"></SCRIPT> </BODY></HTML>