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Iran president attacks US claims | |
(10 minutes later) | |
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says US accusations Tehran is fomenting violence in Iraq are an attempt to hide Washington's own failures. | Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says US accusations Tehran is fomenting violence in Iraq are an attempt to hide Washington's own failures. |
Mr Ahmadinejad made the comments in a rare US television interview on Monday. | Mr Ahmadinejad made the comments in a rare US television interview on Monday. |
US officials in Iraq had said they had evidence that Iran was providing weapons to Shia militias who attacked the US military. | US officials in Iraq had said they had evidence that Iran was providing weapons to Shia militias who attacked the US military. |
Mr Ahmadinejad said Iran "shied away from all conflict" and that no peace would come with foreign troops in Iraq. | |
'Baseless propaganda' | 'Baseless propaganda' |
In the interview with ABC Television in Tehran, Mr Ahmadinejad was questioned repeatedly about the US claims. | |
We assess that these activities are coming from the senior levels of the Iranian government US official class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6353025.stm">In pictures: US Iran evidence class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6353489.stm">US claims: Why now? | |
He said the accusations were "excuses to prolong the stay" of US forces. | |
"There should be no foreigners there in Iraq. And then you see that you have peace in Iraq," Mr Ahmadinejad said. | |
He said any claims of Iranian military supplies should have a "court to prove the case". | |
Mr Ahmadinejad said: "We have made it clear the lack of security in Iraq is to our disadvantage." | |
Earlier Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini had called the US allegations baseless propaganda. | Earlier Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini had called the US allegations baseless propaganda. |
He said Washington had a long history of fabricating evidence. | He said Washington had a long history of fabricating evidence. |
On Sunday, US officials said they had proof that Iran had provided sophisticated weapons which had been used to kill American soldiers in Iraq. | On Sunday, US officials said they had proof that Iran had provided sophisticated weapons which had been used to kill American soldiers in Iraq. |
The US claims have not been independently verified. | The US claims have not been independently verified. |
The Bush administration denies it is planning to invade Iran but has indicated it is willing to use military force to deal with any Iranian interference inside Iraq. | The Bush administration denies it is planning to invade Iran but has indicated it is willing to use military force to deal with any Iranian interference inside Iraq. |
Democratic Senator Chris Dodd said the Bush administration had tried to falsify evidence before, and it would be a mistake to create a premise for future military action. |