IRAN URGED JOIN 'WAR ON TERROR'

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says in a letter
to the people of Iran that "the war on terrorism is not remotely a war
against Islam."

Straw, who wrote the letter ahead of his visit to Iran on Monday, is the
highest-ranking British official to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic
revolution.

His visit is designed to encourage Iran to join the U.S. drive to build a
"global coalition against terrorism" in the wake of the hijack attacks on
the United States.

The West has welcomed Iran's quick condemnation of the devastating
September 11 suicide attacks on Washington and New York.

While Tehran says it will not let U.S. planes use its airspace to attack
neighbouring Afghanistan, the West hopes to secure Iran's acceptance of any
retaliatory strikes.

The U.S. believes Afghanistan is harbouring Osama bin Laden, the man
Washington believes masterminded the attacks.

A European Union delegation -- including EU foreign policy chief Javier
Solana, external relations commissioner Chris Patten and Belgian Foreign
Minister Louis Michel, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency --
is expected to travel to Tehran on Tuesday.

In his visit, Straw will also carry a message from the United States to
Iran, American officials have said.

Straw's visit was arranged during a telephone conversation between British
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Iranian President Mohammed Khatami.

In the Straw letter, which was faxed to the media by the British Embassy,
the minister says he hopes his visit to Iran "will be the beginning of a
dialogue, which leads to much closer cooperation between Iran and Britain
on this important issue."

The letter appreciates Iran's expressions of outrage and sympathy after the
terror attacks in the United States, which, Straw notes, also cost British
and Iranian lives.

He says this was in stark contrast to what he calls the jubilant reaction
from Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Straw also points to the problem of Afghan refugees. Iran is host to more
than two million Afghan refugees and thousands more are expected.

Straw said in the letter his government has allocated $40 million to help
Afghanistan's neighbours cope with any new influx of refugees.

The letter also appeals to the Iranian people to help encourage the
government to join the fight. Straw spoke to his Iranian counterpart Kamal
Kharrazi on Sunday ahead of the visit.

Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Straw would discuss
"the latest developments in Afghanistan" as well as bilateral ties between
the two countries during his visit.

"I hope to benefit from the practical advice and experience of the Iranian
government," said Straw, who plans to meet with Kharrazi and President Khatami.

"The plight of the people of Afghanistan will, of course, be high on the
agenda for my discussions," Straw said.

Iran backs Afghan Shi'ite groups fighting the Sunni Taliban, which killed
10 Iranian diplomats and a journalist in 1998 when the Taliban overran the
northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

But Tehran is worried that attacks on Afghanistan will trigger a flood of
new refugees. Iran says it is already home to some 2.8 million Afghans.

Straw has pledged UKP 25 million ($36 million) to help Iran cope with
Afghan refugees, and he promised increased cooperation against drug
smuggling from Afghanistan.