S/2001/271

United Nations

Security Council

Distr.: General
26 March 2001
Original: English

Letter dated 22 March 2001 from the Permanent Representative
of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations addressed
to the Secretary-General
Upon instructions from my Government, I have the honour to transmit
herewith the translation into English of a note verbale dated 4 February 2001 from
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Embassy of the
Republic of Iraq in Tehran (see annex).
I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex
circulated as a document of the Security Council.
(Signed) Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

01-30504 (E) 260301

*0130504*

 S/2001/271

Annex to the letter dated 22 March 2001 from the Permanent
Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the
United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran presents its
compliments to the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Tehran and has the honour to
state the following.
According to the reports submitted by the relevant authorities of the Islamic
Republic of Iran, the acts of hostility described below have been committed by the
terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), authorized by the Government of
Iraq to be based on Iraqi soil with a view to engaging in acts of sabotage against the
Islamic Republic of Iran.
1.
On 4 November 2000, 10 people belonging to MKO, who intended to infiltrate
into the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Mehran region, were
intercepted by Iranian border guards. They retreated in the direction of Iraqi
territory, leaving behind one large radio, 20 82 millimetre (mm) mortar shells, one
RPG7 and one large backpack.
2.
On 19 November 2000, at 1100 hours, eight 82 mm mortar shells were fired by
the terrorist MKO in an attack across the border from inside Iraq onto Iranian
territory in the Mosian district.
3.
On 26 November 2000, at 1200 hours, 11 120 mm mortar shells were fired by
the terrorist MKO in an attack across the border from inside Iraq onto Iranian
territory in the Ilam district.
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, strongly protesting against
the above-mentioned acts of hostility, holds the Government of the Republic of Iraq
responsible for the adverse consequences of such acts resulting from the provision
of sanctuary to the terrorists of MKO on Iraqi soil and the creation of favourable
conditions for them to organize armed acts of terrorism and sabotage against the
Islamic Republic of Iran, which are in flagrant contravention of international norms
and principles and the United Nations Charter, as well as the principles of goodneighbourly relations.
It is to be recalled that the continuation of such intrusions will cause
irreparable damage to bilateral relations. Therefore, the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Iran, while respecting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Iraq and
the principle of good-neighbourly relations, considers the continuation of such acts
of hostility to be intolerable and reserves its right to legitimate self-defence as well
as to the removal of any threats.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran takes this
opportunity to convey to the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Tehran the
assurances of its highest consideration.

2