- TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday any U.S. attack on Iraq
would backfire by inciting anti-American hatred, state television reported.
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- Iran, labeled by Washington as part of an "axis
of evil" along with Iraq, officially opposes any war on its western
neighbor -- especially any unilateral U.S. action.
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- "It is possible that America through a military
action on Iraq would reach some of its goals, but such measures would finally
harm them (Americans)," Khamenei said at a meeting with visiting Vietnamese
President Tran Duc Luong.
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- "The rising hatred of nations toward them would
weaken and destroy the pillars of America's perceived authority,"
Khamenei said.
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- The United States, accusing Iraq of producing weapons
of mass destruction, has called for a "regime change" in Baghdad.
Iraq denies the charges and has offered to allow U.N. arms inspectors resume
inspections after a four-year gap.
-
- Iran, which fought an eight-year war against Iraq in
the 1980s, has urged Baghdad to avert a regional chaos by obeying U.N.
resolutions on disarmament.
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- Washington cut ties with Iran after hard-line students
stormed the U.S. embassy in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution
and held 52 hostages for 444 days.
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- Khamenei, who holds the most powerful position in the
Islamic Republic, has ruled out resuming talks with the "Great Satan"
which was proposed by moderate President Mohammad Khatami's allies in parliament
earlier this year.
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- "Today, America's military equipment has increased,
but their real power is no greater than their power during the war with
Vietnam," Khamenei said.
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