ID :
195318
Sat, 07/16/2011 - 10:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/195318
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DM Refutes US Allegations about Iran's Interference in Iraq
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi categorically rejected the allegations raised by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta about Iran's arms shipment to anti-US militants in Iraq.
"Such claims are a blame-game on part of the US officials," Vahidi said in an interview with the Islamic republic news agency on Friday.
He said such accusations are raised by the US officials to cover up their failures in the region, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
He added that the West, led by the US, have suffered failure in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The defeats have caused a crisis-like situation in the US system, so they (Americans) try to place the failure blame on other regional states, including Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not need such things and people in the countries decide their own fate and fight; it has nothing to do with us."
The remarks by Vahidi came after Leon Panetta said during his first visit to Iraq as Pentagon chief that Washington is concerned about Iran providing weapons to Iraqi militants.
Meantime, a senior US State Department official confessed that Washington has no proof to substantiate its allegations about Iran's arms shipment to militant groups in Iraq.
Speaking to FNA in Iraq's Northern Kurdish city of Erbil on Monday, US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Thomas Nides repeated his country's earlier claims against Iran, but admitted that the US has no "strong and tangible evidence" to prove the claim.
He claimed that "the US is well aware of Tehran's financial and military assistance with US foes in Iraq", but it does not have any proof or document to corroborate its allegations.
Asked to explain the US logic behind such claims, the senior US administration official said, "We are sure that Iran helps the militants, but our knowledge is based on information that cannot be presented or released.
"That is to say, there is no proof since it is just intelligence (information)," Nides added.
"Such claims are a blame-game on part of the US officials," Vahidi said in an interview with the Islamic republic news agency on Friday.
He said such accusations are raised by the US officials to cover up their failures in the region, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
He added that the West, led by the US, have suffered failure in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The defeats have caused a crisis-like situation in the US system, so they (Americans) try to place the failure blame on other regional states, including Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not need such things and people in the countries decide their own fate and fight; it has nothing to do with us."
The remarks by Vahidi came after Leon Panetta said during his first visit to Iraq as Pentagon chief that Washington is concerned about Iran providing weapons to Iraqi militants.
Meantime, a senior US State Department official confessed that Washington has no proof to substantiate its allegations about Iran's arms shipment to militant groups in Iraq.
Speaking to FNA in Iraq's Northern Kurdish city of Erbil on Monday, US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Thomas Nides repeated his country's earlier claims against Iran, but admitted that the US has no "strong and tangible evidence" to prove the claim.
He claimed that "the US is well aware of Tehran's financial and military assistance with US foes in Iraq", but it does not have any proof or document to corroborate its allegations.
Asked to explain the US logic behind such claims, the senior US administration official said, "We are sure that Iran helps the militants, but our knowledge is based on information that cannot be presented or released.
"That is to say, there is no proof since it is just intelligence (information)," Nides added.
