10 February 2004	Tuesday	18 Zilhaj 1424

HARIPUR, Feb 9: The director general of the Khana-i-Farhang Iran, Peshawar, Raeesus Sadaat, has said that the people of Iran and Pakistan enjoy strong bonds of religion and culture.

He said that those who wanted to create differences among the people of the two countries would never succeed. The conspirators would never succeed in creating differences among the people of Iran and Pakistan through propaganda on the issue of nuclear proliferation, he said while talking to Dawn after attending a ceremony held in connection with Iran's revolution day here on Sunday.

ANP district president Faiz Hussain had organized the ceremony. Mr Sadaat said that even the governments of the two countries could not break the centuries old ties based on culture, religion and races between them.

Holding international media and particularly anti-Muslim forces responsible of creating misunderstanding on the nuclear issue he denied the reports and termed them conspiracy against Muslims. Earlier, speaking at the function Mr Sadaat said that Iranian voters would participate in the state elections with enthusiasm and democratic spirit.

Terming the Iran one of the biggest democracy in the world, the diplomat accused the US, without naming it, of earmarking hefty funds of $1.20 billion for a specific task to malign Tehran through propaganda.

He said that anti-Muslim forces could not impede the progress of Iran which has achieved the desired goal of 90 per cent literacy rate and considerable progress in science and technology.