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[END ACT]
Moq~da al-Sadr .. the cleric tumed Insurgent - is believed to have strong backing from the hardllne
elements-in Iran. His mentor, say analysts, Is Ayatollah Kazem al-Husselni al-Hairi, a senior Shi'ite cleric
in the Iranian holy city of Qom .. although how much Influence he actually exerts on Mr. al-Sadr Is not
c1e~a:. And while supreme leader Ayatollah All K~amenei has welcomed the forced departure of Saddam
Hussein .. who led a bloody decade-long war against Iran .. he has sharply condemned the U-S-Ied
occl:lpation of Iraq.
Mr. Rubin says Iran is actively helping'Mr. al::"Sadr's forces.
[2ND RUBIN ACT]
The Iranians have-been funding some of the radicals with arms, with Revolutionary Guards. The Iranian
charge d'affaires In Baghdad is actually not a diplomat. He is a member of the Qods force,.which Is the
unit of the Revolutionary Guards dedicated to the export of the Islamic revplutlon. The last.thing Iraqis
want is for us to Involve non-Iraqis In this matter.
[END ACT]
But Professor Cole says Iran's role In Iraq is not as pervasive as Mr., Rubin and like-minded analysts
portray.
[2ND COLE ACT]
There are persistent reports that Iran has, and the hardliners in Iran have, provided material support ~o
Moqtada and his faction. I personally think those reports are overblown. I think this is largely an
indigenous Iraqi movement, but it may have gotten some money. Lots of Iraqi groups.have gotten
money from Iran, including some of the more secular politicians.
[END ACT]
Analysts.say Iran Is not likely to allow its once-powerful neighbor to be reconstituted without trying to
have some influence over t~e matter. (SIG!'IED)
NEB/GPT/RH/RAE
LOAD-DATE: April 19, 2004
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