DAMASCUS - Mohammad Khatami met Syrian leader Hafez al-Assad on Thursday in Damascus.

Officials have said that Assad and Khatami would discuss ways to strengthen their support for the Islamist Hizbollah guerrillas

Palestinian sources said that Khatami would Friday meet radical Palestinian leaders opposed to peace with Israel. He is also expected to meet leaders of Lebanon's Hizbollah.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have charged the radical Shi'ite Moslem republic of backing subversive groups in their countries.

Iran and the United Arab Emirates are locked in a dispute over the while sovereignty of three Gulf islands. Tehran cut diplomatic relations with Egypt after Cairo signed a 1979 peace deal with Israel, and ties have been strained by accusations that Tehran backs Islamic fundamentalist groups.
 
 

Khatami's Rapprochement to Saudi Limited, Reuter, May 11

TEHRAN - Iranian political analysts admit there are limits to ties between radical Shi'ite Moslem Iran and conservative Sunni Moslem Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan, whose country has military pacts with Western powers, visited Tehran last week but declined a long-standing Iranian offer of a defense agreement.

Iran's leader Khomeini often attacked Saudi leaders. He said he would never forgive King Fahd for the Mecca bloodshed and cursed him in his will.
 
 

Test of Military Ammunitions Injures Four Civilians, State-Controlled Kayhan, May 10

The testing of anti-air guns in Mashad's skies on Sunday, resulted in injury of 4 citizens.

People from some areas of the city suddenly heard tremendous explosions in the sky. The unannounced test frightened the people.

As a result, four citizens in Ziba-Shahr and Tabarsi regions were hit by shrapnel.
 

On commitment to export of fundamentalism;: "What could we do in order to enter the world scene? We need a force which the enemy does not possess, and this is the force which is superior to technology and to arms. What we need as a balancing force is the newly born, fully-alert, and ready to sacrifice Islamic force. If the Islamic Republic is supported by such a force, the same force as in Algeria, then its movement would be taken seriously. Like Sudan is taken seriously. New centers of power are being formed in the Islamic world... This is a problem which should be dealt with seriously." Daily Ressalat, June 5, 1991

On Saudi Arabia;: "If Saudi Arabia is really incapable of performing its duty to provide accommodation for the pilgrims, it should make it official so that the Muslims could do something about running the affairs of the two holy sites." State media, July 27, 1985

"The government of Saudi Arabia gives precedence to maintaining security and the interests of the enemies of Islam over providing security for Muslims around the world to perform their divine duties...

We condemn this breech of Islam by the government of Saudi Arabia and warn the Muslims throughout the world that this inappropriate action marks the start of a new phase to tarnish the image of Islam and a serious threat to the beloved Ka’ba.

We declare that we will not rest in the face of this great oppression and call on the Islamic world to rise to the occasion and carry out their religious and historic duty in the face of this blatant aggression against the divine rights of Muslims." Daily Kayhan, July 29, 1985

On export of revolution:; "Today, the Hajj is the biggest forum for Islamic Revolution. The gathering of Muslims for the pilgrimage creates the best chance for the presence of the Islamic Revolution." Daily Kayhan, August 7, 1993

"Currently, the Ministry of Guidance has seven foreign language newspapers, one in Swahili, the language of East Africa. Its current circulation of 50,000 can easily be increased to 200,000." Daily Ettela’at, July 10, 1991
 

Back to Brief on Iran