The World - News from Aug. 15, 1986
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati said his country cannot help free hostages in Lebanon, including American and French nationals. He told a Geneva news conference that despite ideological links with the pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad (Islamic Holy War) faction in Lebanon, Tehran has no influence over “political actions,” such as taking hostages. “These hostages in Lebanon have nothing to do with Iran, and trying to create a linkage between these two is sort of a psychological and propaganda warfare,” Velayati said.
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