FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> CONTACT: Eric Sutton
> Tuesday, March 26, 2002
> (302) 651-0260
>
> (302) 438-1725
>
> Senator Biden Attended Pro-Iran Fundraiser Two Weeks After
> White House Blasted Iran for Aiding Al-Qaeda Terrorists
> Biden Raised An Estimated $24,000 In Campaign Funds from TopIranian
> Lobbyist
>
> WILMINGTON-Delaware Republican Chairman Everett Moore todaycriticized
> Senator Biden for holding a February 19th campaign fundraiserat the
> California home of Dr. Sadegh Namazi-khah, a strong supporterof the
> Tehran regime and leading Pro-Iran lobbyist. Moore called onBiden to
> return the estimated $24,000 raised for the senator'scampaign coffers.
>
> "I can't believe that Senator Biden would have a fundraiserat the home of
> a Pro-Tehran lobbyist two weeks after the White House made itabundantly
> clear that Iran was aiding the Al-Qaeda forces inAfghanistan." stated
> Delaware GOP Chairman Everett Moore. "Frankly, I am appalledthat Senator
> Biden would have the audacity as the Senate Foreign RelationsChairman to
> take money from a lobbyist supporting a country thatbrutalizes women,
> ignores human rights, and endorses terrorism."
>
> Moore went on to state that he was both disappointed andoutraged by the
> whole situation.
>
> "Senator Biden should return the campaign money and apologizeto the
> American people for taking it in the first place, especiallyapologize to
> the many Iranian Americans living in this country who rejectthe Tehran
> regime."
>
> Two weeks before the Biden fundraiser, Bush officials accusedIran of
> supplying arms, money and training to an Afghan militiacommander in
> western Afghanistan in order to fuel opposition to theU.S.-supported
> interim government in Kabul led by Hamid Karzai.
>
> On February 3rd, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld accusedIran of
> helping Taliban and al Qaeda fighters flee a U.S. militaryassault on
> Afghanistan. "We have any number of reports that Iran hasbeen permissive
> and allowed transit through their country of al Qaeda," hesaid on ABC's
> "This Week."
>
> On February 1st, national security adviser Condoleezza Ricecondemned Iran
> for their support of global terrorism and determination ofobtaining
> weapons of mass destruction. "Iran's direct support ofregional and global
> terrorism, and its aggressive efforts to acquire weapons ofmass
> destruction, belie any good intentions it displayed in thedays after the
> world's worst terrorist attacks in history," nationalsecurity adviser
> Condoleezza Rice said.
> ________________________________________________
> 1 Washington Times, Iran Aids Terrorists Flight, February 4,2002
> 2 Washington Post, Alan Sipress Bush's Speech Shuts Door onTenuous
> Opening to Iran, February 4, 2002; Page A10
> 3 Ibid
>
>
> Page 2 Senator Biden Held Pro-Iran Fundraiser Two Weeks AfterWhite House
> Blasted Iran for Aiding Al-Qaeda Terrorists
>
> "Before Senator Biden goes endorsing the Iran government andtaking money
> from their supporters here, he should tell them to hand overthe
> terrorists who have killed countless Americans and stopaiding al Qaeda
> forces." said Moore.
>
> According to Insight magazine, several participants who paidto attend the
> event stated that Biden arrived at 8 p.m., stayed until11p.m. and
> delivered a sweeping condemnation of President George W.Bush's "Axis of
> Evil" formula.
>
> "No wonder Senator Biden strongly opposed the President'sremark that Iran
> was part of the 'Axis of Evil'," stated Chairman Moore."Clearly, the
> pro-Iran lobbyist was attempting to buy Senator Biden'sinfluence as
> chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee by contributingto his
> re-election campaign. With Biden's relentless support ofIran, it can be
> viewed as money well spent through the eyes of the Pro-Iranlobbyist."
>
> Last week Biden invited members of the Iranian parliament,which is
> dominated by Tehran supporters, for "a historic meeting" inWashington or
> anywhere else to discuss outstanding issues hamperingU.S.-Iranian
> relations.
>
> According to Insight Magazine, Biden knew in advance aboutDr. Namazi-khah
> and his Pro-Tehran background. On the eve of thefund-raiser, a Biden
> staffer told a prominent Iranian-American activist that thesenator's
> staff "had all the facts necessary to make a decision," andhe was
> planning to attend the fund-raiser despite the protests.
>
> "When we learned that Sen. Biden was planning to hold afund-raiser at the
> California home of Dr. Sadegh Namazi-khah, we immediatelycontacted his
> office to express our dismay," a prominent Iranian-Americanactivist tells
> Insight. Why dismay? "Dr. Namazi-khah is well-known in theLos Angeles
> area for his support of the ruling clerical regime in Tehranand is one of
> the regime's leading unofficial lobbyists in America. Wethought that Sen.
> Biden might not know his background.
>
> Just last Wednesday, Dr. Zalmay Khaliazad, a top Bush foreignpolicy
> advisor and the President's Special Envoy to Afghanistan,told the same
> pro-Tehran lobbying group that the Iranian government issheltering Al
> Qaeda terrorists and continues to support other internationalterrorist
> groups, despite explicit U.S. requests to stop.
>
> "The policies of the current regime both at home andabroad are
> responsible for the poor state of the country's economy andthe hostile
> relations with the United States," Mr. Khalilzad said
>
> ###
> ________________________________________________________
> 4 Insight Magazine, Kenneth Timmerman, Biden Buddies Up ToPro-Iran
> Lobby, March 4, 2002
> 5 Washington Post, Afshin Valinejad, Iran's Leader RejectsU.S. Talks,
> March 19, 2002
> 6 Insight Magazine, Kenneth Timmerman, Biden Buddies Up ToPro-Iran
> Lobby, March 4, 2002
> 7 Insight Magazine, Kenneth Timmerman, The Truth About Iran,March 15,
> 2002
>
>
> Supporting Document:
> Biden Buddies Up to Pro-Iran Lobbyist
>http://www.insightmag.com/main.cfm/include/detail/storyid/195020.html
>