October 6, 2007 Iran
Escalating Involvement in Iraq:
Iraqi Adviser
Washington
Iran has significantly increased its involvement in Iraq in an
effort to undermine any progress made by US President George W.
Bush's troop surge, Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie
said.
Iran was "raising the heat" by supplying more sophisticated weaponry
to militants responsible for attacks on US troops, al-Rubaie said
Friday in an interview that appeared on the Washington Post's
website.
The Iranian agents detained by US troops and weapons intercepts are
only the "tip of the iceberg" of the Islamic state's activities in
Iraq.
"What we have arrested is a peanut," he said.
Iran has stepped up its role since an August meeting between the US
and Iranian ambassadors in Baghdad to discuss US allegations that
Iran has been fomenting violence in Iraq, al-Rubaie said.
Al-Rubaie said top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have approved of the role in Iraq even
though they have publicly denied involvement.
"There is one policy in Iran and others execute that policy, and
that's done through the National Security Council. And its chairman
is the supreme leader," Rubaie said.
The US military believes Iran's elite al-Quds force has been
shipping the weapons into Iraq and trains militants, and says it has
seized arms that were made in Iran.
The US has also been in a confrontation with Iran over its suspected
programme to build nuclear weapons and speculation is on the rise
that Bush will order air strikes on Iran. Bush denied he has ordered
his generals to prepare for military action against Iran in an
interview with al-Arabiya that aired Friday, and reiterated his goal
of resolving the dispute diplomatically.
Bush did not take the option of using force off the table, but
called the speculation of a potential strike "empty propaganda" and
"gossip."
"I, of course, said all options are on the table, but I made a
pledge to the American people we will work diplomatically to solve
the problem," he said.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
