Iran hosted a 10-day anti-U.S./anti-Israel conference in February—“the largest meeting of hard-line Islamic groups regarded by the United States as terrorists, according to informed sources in Tehran” (www.iran-press-service.com; February 6).
Iranian officials said the conference “would discuss strategy against the United States and its allies, particularly Israel …. [O]rganizations such as the Hamas, the Islamic Jihad of Palestine, the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah, and al-Qaeda allies like the Ansar el Eslam would attend the meeting …” (ibid.).
While Iran overtly demonstrates its hatred for the U.S.—being the “king of state-sponsored terrorism,” as our editor in chief has said—Washington insists on negotiating with it for leverage in the Mideast.