“Iran Remains a Threat to America’s Interests” The Baltimore Sun 8 September 2001 Page 13A

Iran's actions that undermine U.S. interests have not changed under President Khatemi; neither should U.S. policy ("Struggle for the soul of Iran," editorial, Aug. 27).

Mr. Khatemi's Iran has continued to destabilize the region. Iran supports militant factions and terrorist groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

And the Iranian navy recently threatened oil vessels in the resource-rich Caspian Sea. In a show of force, the Iranian air force then violated the airspace of Azerbaijan, a U.S. ally. Such provocations will only increase as Iran's military grows stronger.

And, under Mr. Khatemi, Iran has stepped up its development of Shahab rockets, which have ranges greater than 1,000 miles. Tehran has also begun to develop submarine-based rockets, and Iranian spending on conventional military hardware has exploded.

Combined with its continued efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction, the Iranian military is a growing threat to U.S. interests.

Iran poses the same fundamental challenge to the United States today that it did before Mr. Khatemi was elected.

Indeed, now that the Iranian president's charm offensive has opened up European markets to the Islamic Republic, Iran has the hard currency to continue purchases of high-tech hardware.

It is this threat that should determine U.S. policy toward Iran.

William D. Shingleton

Alexandria, Va.

The writer is a senior fellow at the National Defense Council Foundation.