Envoy to Washington warns against opening of another "Espionage Den" in Iran
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 23:51 
Text of report by Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) website
Tehran, 12 August: The caretaker of the Iran Interests Section in Washington has said: The opening of an American interests section in Tehran, if not well-calculated and closely watched, may lead to the formation of another Espionage Den [former US embassy in Tehran], which would be a place for gatherings and contacts of hypocrites and the opposition. This will be against the interests of the country.
Speaking to ILNA, Mostafa Rahmani said: The American interests section will be similar to the office which Iran opened in America in the early days of the revolution.
On the reason why America has raised the issue, he said: A large number of Iranian expatriates live in America and yet there are very few Americans in Iran. The opening of this office can lead to an increase in the number of Americans in Iran.
Rahmani said: If this office opens, there will be facilities given to Iranians who wish to travel to America. They can apply from Tehran instead of having to spend large sums of money to travel to Turkey and Dubai.
He said: This is a step forward that can lead to the normalization of ties between the two states.
Stating that the British embassy in Tehran was not "holy" either [vernacular: Alay-he Salaam nist], he said: It is obvious that the Americans have their own agents at the British and Argentine embassies [in Tehran] through whom they can take some measures.
Referring to the activities of the British embassy in Tehran, he said: Britain might not be worse than America, but both of the countries are acting against Iran. By having an embassy in Tehran, Britain has better room for manoeuvres and while maintaining its relations with Iran; it has managed to inflict major damage on Iran, particularly in terms of the challenges currently facing the country.
The caretaker of Iran's interest section in Washington elaborated on the American plan to attack Iran, saying: The American society is divided into two groups over the attack on Iran. One group supports the interests of Zionism and the other supports the interests of America.
He said: The supporters of the interests of Zionism in America want an attack on Iran to be launched before the end of President Bush's term [in November]. However, white Americans, who are the genuine Americans, are against an attack on Iran.
Rahmani said: Senator Josef Biden, who is the number six among American politicians, has announced that Bush does not have the authority to launch a unilateral attack on Iran and if he does so, Biden, as the head of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Senate, would try to bring him down from his position.
He said: Traditionally, American presidents do not make sensitive moves, such as waging a war, in their last year of presidency. Therefore, chances of a war against Iran are scant.
Source: Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), Tehran, in Persian 1418 gmt 12 Aug 08
