TEHRAN The Secretary General of the International Conference on Palestine, Ali-Akbar Mohtashamipour, said the conference on Palestine is to be held in Tehran April 24-25, 2001.

Speaking at a press conference here yesterday, Mohtashamipour added that the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei is scheduled to address the inaugural ceremony of the conference. The heads of the three branches of Iran's government as well as Parliament speakers of 35 Muslim and non-Muslim countries are scheduled to attend the conference.

The representatives of the Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian organizations and groups will attend the conference, he said.

Mohtashamipour pointed out that the conference also seeks to achieve better coordination and unity among all Palestinian organizations and combatant groups.

The U.S. is attempting to create hurdles in the way of holding the conference, he said, adding, "This indicates the blatant U.S. support for Israel and its opposition to any action which curbs the Zionists' activities."

He added that world bodies have not been able to take any positive action vis-a-vis the Palestinian issue, so it is the duty of Muslim nations to support the Palestinian Intifada.

Mohtashamipour, who is a Majlis deputy from Tehran, also condemned some recent arrests, saying, "The arrest of more than 40 members of the so-called religious-nationalist groups was totally wrong."

He added that such actions are not only illegal, but also create mistrust among the people towards the system. These actions tarnish the image of the Iranian system, he said.