Members of al-Qaida who are fleeing Afghanistan have been allowed safe passage through Iran, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday, criticizing Tehran for a second straight day as a supporter of global terrorists. "It certainly would be helpful if they were more cooperative, and they have not been, particularly," Rumsfeld said. U.S. officials have said in recent months that Tehran had failed to move decisively against al-Qaida figures who fled over the western border of Afghanistan to Iran. In a rebuke Monday, Rumsfeld said Iran, Iraq and Syria "are inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing" in the Middle East. Rumsfeld specifically accused Iran and Syria of funneling arms to Lebanon for use by terrorists and criticized Iraq for offering payments of up to $25,000 to families of Palestinian suicide bombers.
Rumsfeld was asked Tuesday to be more specific about how unhelpful Tehran has been to the Bush administration's war against terrorism. "There is no question but that al-Qaida have moved into and found sanctuary in Iran. And there is no question but that al-Qaida have moved into Iran and out of Iran to the south and dispersed to some other countries," he said.
I have a strong feeling this is only partly policy. With the government at odds with itself, I don't think Iran is under very tight control. And that could prove an opportunity in itself... |