Azerbaijan, Baku, 25 April /corr. Trend D.Khatinoglu / Critics against Iran by Eiman al-Zavaheri, the second high-ranking person in Taliban group, are aimed at demonstrating that Al-Qaida is not under the influence of Iran. "Critics against Iran by the Taliban leader is of propaganda character," said the Chairman of Iranian-Arab Research Center, Ali Reza Nourizadeh.
Eiman al-Zavaheri criticized Iranian officialbecause they doubtfully approach the 11 September events in the USA. Last week, the President of Iran stated in his speech in Kum city that he has doubts that the act of terrorism on 11 September was committed by Al-Qaida. In addition, Eiman al-Zavaheri said that Taliban holds independent fighting and pursues policy differing from Iran's policy. He stated that increase in Iran's authority in Iraq contradicts the interests of Al-Qaida
"Eiman al-Zavaheri well understands that more than 100 activists of Taliban, several leaders of this group, even two sons of Ben Laden are in Iran currently. The officials of Iran stated that the Talibans, who were taken prisoner in this country, are not detained in the prisons but house arrested, and they still govern the foreign forces," Nourizadeh reported to Trend by telephone from London on 25 April.
According to him, Nourizadeh wishes to highlight independence of Taliban fighting. " Iran secretly co-operates with network of Al-Qaida. In some sense, Eiman al-Zavaheri wanted to make aware his supporters that Al-Qaida, with fundamental Sunnite thought, is not under influence of Tehran with Shiite understanding," Iranian politician said.
"There is a large difference between Iran and Taliban. Activities of Al-Qaida in Iraq brings harms to Iran," Scotland expert Paul Wilkinson said in an interview to Czech radio Farda. The Chairman of Center for Terrorism Studies of St Andrew University said that Al-Qaida is concerned about losing its authority in Iraq. "Expressing their position against Iran, they want to increase the number of their Sunnite supporters in Iraq. The Shiites make up majority there and Iran's co-operation with Sunnite Taliban harms both Iran and Al-Qaida," Wilkinson said.
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