Pubdate: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 Source: Reuters Copyright: 1998 Reuters Limited. IRAN SAYS U.S. LATE IN DROPPING IT FROM DRUG LIST TEHRAN, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Iran said on Tuesday the United States was extremely late in taking it off a U.S. list of sources of illegal drugs, Iranian state television reported. "Iran's important role and its major investment in fighting drugs and preventing the transit of drugs to other countries, especially Europe, is so obvious that no country can deny it," the television quoted Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi as saying. "America has been very late in admitting this reality," Kharrazi said. The United States said on Monday it had dropped Iran and Malaysia from its list of countries considered to be major drug producers or transit nations. Tehran radio earlier said the U.S. decision did not signify a change in Washington's hostile attitude towards Tehran. "America's reason in omitting Iran's name should be seen as the result of the realities of Iran's struggle against drug smuggling forcing themselves on the prevailing viewpoint in the American government...not America's change of policy toward Iran," the state-run radio said in a commentary. There has been a slight thaw in relations between the United States and Iran since the election last year of moderate President Mohammad Khatami. But Iranian officials have said Tehran will not consider better relations unless Washington ceases its hostile attitude towards the Islamic republic. "Despite what is regarded as the American government's change of tone towards Iran, its practical policy in this regard has not changed yet," the radio said. It said a recent U.S. decision to keep holding Iranian assets frozen in the United States after the 1979 Islamic revolution was an example of Washington's continued hostility. "Even if the White House's decision...can be regarded as a change of policy, this change has -- as in the past -- either been forced upon it by facts or is void of political value." Iran is a major transit route for drugs smuggled from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Europe. Tehran had often blasted Washington for keeping it on the list of drug states, saying the United States ignored Iran's efforts in fighting narcotics. The United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran after militant students seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979. They held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. - --- Checked-by: Don Beck