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The recent conspiracies of world Zionism against the Islamic Republic of Iran, resulted in the interruption of the friendly relations between Iran and the countries of Venezuela and Argentina. This indicates that Iran's enemies are seriously pursuing specific objectives in order to isolate Iran.
Although the South American incidents were the most blatant propaganda against Iran during the last few years, they were not regarded as the first Zionist action against our diplomatic service. More than a year ago the economic pressures on Zambia caused her to sever its relations with Iran.
Early in 1992 Dr. Kaunda, the independence seeking leader of Zambia, lost the presidential elections and Mr. Chiloba's western
inclined administration, by direct support from Western countries and international monetary bodies came to power. Mr. Chiloba, after coming to power, declared Zambia to be a Christian country. He banned Islamic broadcasts from the radio and television, lifted the ban on the book "Satanic Verses" and established a political relationship with Israel. The government of Zambia, after this development, paved the way to disrupt relations with Iran and other progressive states and took up policies in compliance with those of the U.S., Britain and Israel. Prior to the latter, the relationship between Iran and Zambia was indeed satisfactory.
Early in 1993 the Minister of Industries from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, set out for Zambia to participate at the second Joint Commission. The reception of Zambia Government of Nematzadeh, and the vast media, radio and television coverage promised a warm resumption of relations. But one day after the end of the trip, publications of some suspicious letters in the Zambia Times had claimed that Iran's purpose of expansion of economic cooperation was to further Islamic fundamentalism. {It is worth noting that Mr. Arthur, Zambia Times editor-in-chief, who was appointed after establishment of the new government, has Zionistic tendencies}.
On March 9, 1993 the Zambian newspapers reported an attempted coup by the UNIP Party (the opposition party). The press reported that Iran, Syria, Libya adn Palestine bad financed this coup. The embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly objected to this accusation and stressed her commitment to respect the international laws and principles of noninterference in other country's affairs. A few days later, the Foreign Minister of Zambia summoned Iran's Ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and repeated the same allegations: "One of those who have been arrested has confessed that Iran had financed the coup".
The Ambassador of Iran to Zambia and the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman repeatedly refuted such interference in the Zambian internal affairs and financial support of UNIP Party and demanded that Zambia provides sufficient proof to justify her accusations.
Mr. Mosoktoneh, the Chairman of UNIP, also refuted the request or receipt of financial aid from Iran and Iraq and claimed that the accusation was a policy of the Zambian Government to justify her domestic problems. The mass media of Zambia repeatedly requested the Government, as well as the Foreign Ministry of Zambia to produce evidence to support their claims, but the government termed the documents as "confidential" and refrained from divulging them.
The President of Zambia, in a television appearance, while declaring the state of emergency in the country outlawed the UNIP Party and stated that he would reassess the political relationship of his country with Iran and Iraq.
On March 15, 1994 Vernon Moanga, the Foreign Minister of Zambia by summoning Iranian Ambassador termed the Zambian Government's decision as temporary and said, "I hope we will resume relations after conducting investigations. "He also sent a letter to his Iranian counterpart repeating what had said to the Iranian Ambassador.
Coinciding with the announcement of severing her relations with Iran and Iraq, a member of the House of Representatives from the ruling party, Mr. Baadaat, asked the Foreign Minister if it was a decision taken by Zionist regime or the Government of Zambia. The news pertaining to this issue was broadcasted on the Zambian radio and television, implying the involvement of hidden hands behind this event.
Mr. Baadaat's question was repeated several times by the journalists but Zambian Foreign Minister refrained from replying.
A short while after severing the relations between the two countries, the Foreign Minister of Zambia, in an interview with Zambia Times dismissed Iran's involvement in the coup, He said, "The result of the investigations reveals Iran's and Iraq's non-support of coup plotters."
The politicians of Zambia created a fresh scenario to justify severing relations with Iran. One of the officials at the Zambian Ministry of State, in an interview attributed the disturbances in two countries relations to Iran's involvement in expansion of Islamic fundamentalism and support of Zambian Islamic Party. A clergyman from the Church while referring to Zambia being a Christian state claimed that Iran's efforts to convert the Christians of Zambia to Islam was an obstacle for expansion of relations.
The Africa Confidential in an analysis described Iran's involvement in expansion of Islamic fundamentalism in a country whose Muslim population is less than 1% as unrealistic and pointed out the important role of international and in particular that of Zionist mediators. After a while occurrences of similar events in other African states such as Tanzania uncovered a hidden conspiracy to disturb the relationship between Iran and African countries.
In an interview, Dr. Kaunda, the former president of Zambia, stated that "The Government of Zambia has been pressured to severe relations with Iran and Iraq. For these two countries are considered the enemies of George Bush's Administration. "Dr. Kaunda expressed sorrow over the Zambian Government's actions under foreign pressure and said, "The Foreign Minister of Zambia, Mr. Moanga, has been forced to oust the representatives of Iran and Iraq."
On May 6th 1993, Vernon Moanga, in an interview with Zambia Daily pointed out that severing relations has got nothing to do with the resumption of ties between Zambia and Israel . He also added that severing ties was not a result of the coup and aid to UNIP, though these two happened simultaneously. Moanga said, "The decision to sever relations was an independent one and based on the available information."
The contradictory stances of the Zambian authorities was a sign of bewilderment among Zambian policy-makers and it seems the authorities have tried to conceal, by beating around the bush, the main reason for severing relations, which is economic needs and foreign pressure.
The African Events monthly in its April 1993 issue, in an article titled "Shadowy Game" had investigated Zambian severing of relations with Iran and Iraq and has written, "Zambia has severed her diplomatic relations with Iran and Iraq and accused these two countries of plotting to topple the government". But our correspondent in Zambia reports, "There isn't any proof to support this claim."It adds that Mr. Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, Iranian Minister of Industries, conferred with the President and the Minister of Industries and Commerce of Zambia the week before the severing of relations. This trip angered the Zionist regime which had resumed ties with Zambia earlier this year. A high-ranking Israeli official resident in Nairobi, Kenya threatened the Zambian Government and said, "If strong relations with Iran and Iraq are not severed, the payment of U.S.$10 million loan would be suspended."
The remarks of Vernon Moanga, Zambian Foreign Minister at that time, in a meeting with the diplomats of Islamic countries can also further clarify the Zambian Government's reasoning. Addressing he said, "I assure you that severing relations between these two states had no religious basis. "Furthermore, the Government of Zambia did not close the Zambian Islamic Center and Masjid Al-Reza Center which had been established by the Embassy of Iran. If the initial claims of this government were true, they should have definitely stopped activities of these Islamic centers."
Based on previous statements severing of relations with Iran was neither due to fear of expansion of fundamentalism nor support of UNIP Party. It was clearly an effort to isolate Iran on the international scene. What matters is the fact that the incident of Zambia looks like other incidents aiming to accuse Iran. The claim of Iran's involvement in the bombing of the Zionist building in Argentina and incidents of Venezuela, like that of Zambia, were first initiated by the press and other mass media and afterwards politicians continued making such unfounded allegations.
