DATE=10/16/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-240293

TITLE=AFGHAN / IRAN (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS SAY TWO AIRCRAFT ARE EXPECTED TOFLY TO AFGHANISTAN SATURDAY TO RECEIVE IRANIAN PRISONERS BEING RELEASED BY THE TALEBAN. ALI ZAIDI REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, THE TALEBAN SAY THEY HAVE BEEN ASSURED BY A U-N ENVOY THAT IRAN WILL RECIPROCATE TALEBAN MOVES TO EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

TEXT: UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT 25 IRANIAN NATIONALS STILL HELD BY THE TALEBAN ARE TO BE FLOWN OUT OF KANDAHAR ON PLANES BELONGING TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE RED CROSS (I-C-R-C).

THE ACTING HEAD OF THE UNITED NATIONS AFGHAN OFFICE IN PAKISTAN, JAMES NGOBI, SAYS THESE MEN ARE THE LAST IRANIANS STILL IN TALEBAN CUSTODY. MOST OF THEM WERE TAKEN PRISONER FROM AREAS OF NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN CAPTURED BY THE TALEBAN IN RECENT MONTHS.

IRAN HAD WARNED OF MILITARY RETALIATION IF ITS NATIONALS WERE NOT RELEASED, PROMPTING INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO AVERT WAR BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. THE TALEBAN PREVIOUSLY RELEASED 25 OTHER IRANIANS AS GOOD-WILL GESTURES.

THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (A-I-P) QUOTES SOURCES SAYING THE TALEBAN WERE ASSURED BY U-N SPECIAL ENVOY LAKHDAR BRAHIMI THAT IRAN WOULD RECIPROCATE THE TALEBAN PEACE MOVES.

THE TALEBAN WANT IRAN TO USE ITS INFLUENCE TO GAIN THE RELEASE OFTALEBAN PRISONERS HELD BY THE AFGHAN OPPOSITION ALLIANCE.

A TALEBAN DELEGATION HEADED BY SENIOR SPOKESMAN WAKIL AHMED IS INISLAMABAD FOR TALKS WITH MR. BRAHIMI, WHO HAS BEEN SENT BY THE UNITED NATIONS TO MEDIATE AN END TO THE AFGHAN-IRAN CRISIS.

MR. BRAHIMI WENT TO KANDAHAR ON WEDNESDAY FOR TALKS WITH THE TALEBAN SUPREME LEADER, MULLAH OMAR. U-N OFFICIALS SAY MR. BRAHIMI PROPOSED TALKS BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT TO EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

THE TALEBAN HAVE AGREED TO A PROPOSAL TO MEET THE IRANIANS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF EITHER THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (O-I-C) IN JEDDAH, OR AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK OR GENEVA.

U-N OFFICIALS SAY THIS PROPOSAL WILL NOW BE PUT TO THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT BY MR. BRAHIMI WHEN HE GOES BACK TO TEHRAN. (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ

16-Oct-98 11:13 AM EDT (1513 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America