Afghan Foreign Minister Disputes Claim Iran Arming Taliban Militants
By VOA News
19 October 2007
Afghanistan's foreign minister says there is no evidence that Iran is supplying weapons to Taliban insurgents, despite U.S. claims.
Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta
Rangeen Dadfar Spanta
Rangeen Dadfar Spanta made the remarks Friday in Herat, one day after the top commander of NATO forces said weapons intercepted in Afghanistan had originated in Iran.
U.S. Army General Dan McNeill said NATO forces stopped a convoy from Iran on September 5 in western Afghanistan. He said the convoy contained a number of advanced technology improvised explosive devices.
Afghan officials say the country's intelligence agency is investigating the source of sophisticated weapons used by Taliban insurgents, and says it has no proof they are coming from Iran.
Iran has also denied the allegations.
General McNeill said it is hard to believe that a shipment of hi-tech explosives could have originated in Iran and come to Afghanistan without the knowledge of the Iranian military.
U.S Defense Secretary Robert Gates has also said he believes members of the Taliban are getting help from Iran.
Taliban insurgents have increased their use of suicide and roadside bombs against foreign and Afghan troops.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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US Military: Intercepted Afghan Weapons Came From Iran
By VOA News
18 October 2007
The top commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan says weapons intercepted in the country last month originated in Iran.
General Dan McNeill (file photo)
General Dan McNeill (file photo)
U.S. Army General Dan McNeill said Thursday NATO forces stopped a convoy from Iran on September 5 in western Afghanistan. He said the convoy contained a number of advanced technology improvised explosive devices.
McNeill said it is hard to believe that a shipment of hi-tech explosives could have originated in Iran and come to Afghanistan without the knowledge of the Iranian military.
U.S. leaders have accused Iran of arming the Taleban insurgency in Afghanistan, a charge that Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has denied.
Taleban insurgents have increased their use of suicide and roadside bombs against foreign and Afghan troops.
In other news, NATO officials say nine soldiers were wounded Wednesday when Taleban rebels ambushed a patrol in the southern Afghanistan province of Kandahar.
And at least four Afghan police officers were killed and three others wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan in the eastern province of Khost.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
Afghanistan Investigating Iran Link to High-Powered Taliban Bombs
By Al Pessin
Pentagon
18 October 2007
Afghanistan's defense minister says his government is gathering evidence on the source of sophisticated weapons found in the hands of Taliban fighters. But unlike the top American commander in Afghanistan, the minister is not ready to say the material comes from Iran. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (r) greets his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Pentagon, 18 Oct 2007
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (r) greets his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak at the Pentagon, 18 Oct 2007
The Afghan Defense Minister, Abdul Rahim Wardak, says in a meeting with him about a month ago Iranian officials denied allegations they are sending high-powered explosives to insurgents in Afghanistan. But the minister says such material is making its way into Afghanistan, and the Afghan intelligence agency is seeking evidence about where it is coming from.
"Some type of that armor-piercing IED [Improvised explosive device] and some other weapons are at the disposal of the Taliban in Afghanistan, so we are very carefully monitoring this development," he said.
Minister Wardak called it a "very significant development," but several times during a Pentagon news conference, he declined to accuse Iran of sending in the advanced explosives.
"There is no doubt that there is something coming from our western border," said Wardak. "There are weapons and maybe some financial support and others. But to be completely clear about it I think it will take a little bit of time to come up with the right conclusion."
Earlier Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he also believes Iran is helping the Taliban, although he did not say exactly how.
"I think the Taliban are getting support from Iran, both weapons and money," he said. "They are clearly getting support from elsewhere outside of Afghanistan."
But also on Thursday, the NATO commander in Afghanistan, U.S. General Dan McNeil, said a shipment of high-powered bomb material intercepted early last month did come from Iran. And the general said he can not imagine such a shipment could be made without "at least the knowledge of the Iranian military."
U.S. officials have made similar charges regarding sophisticated explosives flowing to insurgents in Iraq. But the newly appointed top U.S. military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, says the issue should be dealt with through diplomatic channels.
"There is a significant amount of activity right now to try to influence them diplomatically," he said. "I'm not one to take options off the table, and wouldn't do that. However, I really do consider that military option one of the last resort."
U.S. officials are working to get more international help for Afghanistan to respond to the Iranian and Taliban activity. Secretary Gates noted that he will attend a NATO defense ministers' meeting next week, at which he said the top priority will be to get Afghanistan all the help that has been promised, particularly more trainers for its army.
Minister Wardak says it makes sense for the western countries to provide more training and equipment for the Afghan army to speed the day when Afghanistan can take primary responsibility for its own defense.
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