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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US warns Iran on Iraq insurgents | US warns Iran on Iraq insurgents |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The US has issued the latest in a series of warnings to Iran, telling Tehran to stop helping Iraqi militants make lethal bombs to attack US troops. | The US has issued the latest in a series of warnings to Iran, telling Tehran to stop helping Iraqi militants make lethal bombs to attack US troops. |
| Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said US forces had detained several Iranians suspected of providing weapons technology to Shia insurgents. | Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said US forces had detained several Iranians suspected of providing weapons technology to Shia insurgents. |
| He said Iranian help for insurgents had spread from Basra north to Baghdad, leading to higher UK and US casualties. | He said Iranian help for insurgents had spread from Basra north to Baghdad, leading to higher UK and US casualties. |
| Tehran has repeatedly denied that it is fuelling the violence in Iraq. | |
| Mr Burns told the BBC that some of the five Iranians detained on 11 January by US troops were members of the al-Quds force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and not diplomats as Tehran says. | Mr Burns told the BBC that some of the five Iranians detained on 11 January by US troops were members of the al-Quds force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and not diplomats as Tehran says. |
| "These are not Iranian business people in Iraq that we've detained," said Mr Burns, the third most senior US diplomat. | "These are not Iranian business people in Iraq that we've detained," said Mr Burns, the third most senior US diplomat. |
| "These are operatives of the Quds force, paramilitary officials of the Iranian government and their intelligence officials... They're people who are engaged in sectarian warfare". | "These are operatives of the Quds force, paramilitary officials of the Iranian government and their intelligence officials... They're people who are engaged in sectarian warfare". |
| British allegations | British allegations |
| In another interview with American radio, he said Iranian agents were transferring "sophisticated explosive technology to Shia insurgent groups who then use that technology to target and kill American soldiers". | In another interview with American radio, he said Iranian agents were transferring "sophisticated explosive technology to Shia insurgent groups who then use that technology to target and kill American soldiers". |
| Washington has said that Iran is providing high-grade "shaped" explosives that can tear through the thick armour on many military vehicles. | Washington has said that Iran is providing high-grade "shaped" explosives that can tear through the thick armour on many military vehicles. |
| It is a repeat of British allegations made last year about attacks against UK troops in their zone around Basra in southern Iraq. | It is a repeat of British allegations made last year about attacks against UK troops in their zone around Basra in southern Iraq. |
| Mr Burns said the US had been following Iranian involvement in Iraq for about two years and found increasing evidence that Iran has been assisting Shia militant groups. | Mr Burns said the US had been following Iranian involvement in Iraq for about two years and found increasing evidence that Iran has been assisting Shia militant groups. |
| The Bush administration has been taking an uncompromising tone on Iran lately. | The Bush administration has been taking an uncompromising tone on Iran lately. |
| In his state of the union speech, President Bush accused Iran of arming "terrorists like Hezbollah" and said, "the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons." | In his state of the union speech, President Bush accused Iran of arming "terrorists like Hezbollah" and said, "the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons." |
| The US is sending more troops to Baghdad to try to quell the worsening sectarian violence there and is building up its military presence in the Persian Gulf, deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region. | The US is sending more troops to Baghdad to try to quell the worsening sectarian violence there and is building up its military presence in the Persian Gulf, deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region. |