Iran Warns It May Resume War With Iraq

NICOSIA, Cyprus —  Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani said Sunday that if Iraq does not relinquish Iranian territory it seized in the last days of the Persian Gulf War, his country “will make it retreat by force.”

It was the toughest statement made by an Iranian leader since a cease-fire in the eight-year war took effect Aug. 20, 1988.

Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency, monitored in Nicosia, quoted Rafsanjani as telling commanders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards: “We have no territorial ambitions, but we will not cede one inch of our Islamic land.”

Rafsanjani did not give Iraq a deadline but said, “We will be patient as far as possible.” He made clear Iran will not make any concessions to break a deadlock in peace talks that began more than a year ago.

The Iranians insist there can be no advance in the talks until the Iraqis withdraw from Iranian soil. Iran claims the Iraqis hold 1,028 square miles of Iranian border territory. U.N. observers say the Iraqis hold 386 square miles.

Meanwhile, U.N. envoy Marrack Goulding met Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Jabar Shanshal in Baghdad on Sunday for talks on the work of U.N. observers monitoring the cease-fire, U.N. officials said. He is due to leave for Tehran today.