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    Iran rejects U.S. allegations of Saudi envoy plot

    By Zahra Hosseinian, Writing by Parisa Hafezi | Reuters – Tue, Oct 11, 2011

    TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran rejected U.S. allegations that two Iranians planned to assassinate the Saudi envoy to Washington, calling it a "untrue and baseless," the country's English language Press TV reported on Tuesday.

    "Iran strongly denies the untrue and baseless allegations over a plan to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington," Press TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying.

    "It is a comedy show fabricated by America."

    Mehmanparast also said the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia could not be harmed by "fabricating such baseless claims."

    "Our relationship with Riyadh is based on mutual respect and such baseless claims will not succeed."

    U.S. authorities broke up an alleged plot to bomb the Israeli and Saudi Arabian embassies in Washington and assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, court documents and a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

    The alleged plotters were identified as Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri -- both originally from Iran -- in the criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in New York City.

    Political tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been increasing since Saudi forces intervened in March to help Bahrain's Sunni rulers crush pro-reform demonstrations backed by the Shi'ite majority.

    Iran and the United State are at odds over the country's disputed nuclear program, which Washington and its allies say is a cover to build bombs.

    Tehran denies this, saying it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity to meet its booming domestic need.

    The United States and Israel, which Iran refuses to recognize, have not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the row with Iran.

    (Reporting by Zahra Hosseinian, Writing by Parisa Hafezi)

     

    77 comments

    • Edward W
      Edward W  •  7 mths ago
      How funny this is! The US backs the Saudi government which is a monarchy (a form of dictatorship), and in which there are no free elections. A country which spawned the majority of the hijackers that participated in the attacks of 9/11 (or so they say anyway) and engage in a non stop propaganda attack against one of the very few democracies (Iran) in the Middle East just because that country has vast precious natural resources, and a strategic location in that region that the West wants to control so badly but they can't. All this while our own economy (US) is failing, with millions of people unemployed, and rampant corruption in the highest offices of government, and private enterprise (Wall Street). This my friends is a pathetic attempt at creating a distraction to turn our attention away from our plights. Call me a "conspiracy theorist" or a "socialist", "commie", "lib-tard" etc. You would be wrong on all accounts but I don't give a RAT'S TAIL! History will prove me right so I am at peace.
      • Sluggy
        Sluggy 7 mths ago
        Iran is a theocracy, not a democracy.
      • EM
        EM 7 mths ago
        Edward,
        You are so right on the money. But, keep in mind that we have a large segment of ill-informed but patriotic population that gets their daily News from 2 minutes of watching Fox, or CNN.
        They are so easy to brainwash and so dangerously easy to manipulate in to supporting any action. They are the prime targets for self-serving expedient politicians.
    • R
      R  •  7 mths ago
      No problem, show the evidence,are we trying to promote tensions or are they lying,someone difinitely is.
      • NetW
        NetW 7 mths ago
        I agree 100 percent with you. Not one bit of evidence has been presented to us that proves that elements within the Iranian government ordered this attack to be carried. You are talking about an accusation against the Iranian government that will create a huge further divide between the Sunni rulers/elites and Shia people in the middle east. (note: i said Sunni elites, since according to all major US polls, majority of Arabs despise their dictators and US supporters, and actually are quite fond of the Iranian government).

        I am just baffled how thus far the FBI has told us the Iranians government is involved simply based on conversations this lunatic Arbabsiar had with the undercover informant and a wire transfer of $100,000, which if did not come from Arbabsiar or the other accused Iranian's personal wealth, could have come from any rich Iranian citizen in a nation of over 70 million.

        P.S. Did you read my comment from before?
      • EM
        EM 7 mths ago
        Wow, more lies to get us going in to another war. The question should be: What is the benefit to Iran of killing Saudi Official In US? None.
        If you are that gullible, I have a beautiful bridge for sale in Death Valley.

        I think America is taking a page from Britain’s "divide and conquer" manual.
    • kai tak
      kai tak  •  7 mths ago
      Wow!! Time for the US to attack Iran for terrorism, China for WMD, Russia for WMD and Syria for Human Rights violation!!! Forward march!!!!
    • CryBabyCons
      CryBabyCons  •  7 mths ago
      Funny how Right Wing Nuts still believe that Saddam had WMDs but refuse to believe in Iranian stupidity.
    • CryBabyCons
      CryBabyCons  •  7 mths ago
      Wow! this was stupid. Next we will have an idiot Teabagger arrested to trying to blow up the IRS building.
    • EM
      EM  •  7 mths ago
      I think America is taking a page from Britain’s "divide and conquer" manual.
      This is an idiotic, yet very clever claim. It will soar the relations between Saudis and Iranians, divide the Sunnis and shias, reduce Ahmadinejad popularity among Sunnis, and pressure China and Russia to be more cooperative in future sanctions.

      Will it work? It depends on our gullibility and ignorance. If most of us buy it, then the politicians will think that they have the support of the world public opinion and thus it will work.
    • K2
      K2  •  7 mths ago
      Dirty trick to cause tension ahead of next OPEC meeting to cheapen the price of crude oil !
    • flooking
      flooking  •  7 mths ago
      We should look close at this and if it is true give Iran what they want from us. I listen to some Congressmen this morning and it convinced me the the Protest are right and just.These people do not have a clue as to what to do or what is going on with Iran.When you have a fool ruuning a country anything is possible to happen with them. Because it did not happen does not change the Fact that this is an Act Of War.
    • Red Herring
      Red Herring  •  7 mths ago
      Let me get this straight...the Muslims hate the US because the Shia hate the Sunni...and the Arab Muslems hate non-Arab muslems...and the Wahabe hate the Wasabi...is that it?
    • amin
      amin  •  7 mths ago
      saudies arabia are mother all terorism.yes that was comedy show
    • Red Herring
      Red Herring  •  7 mths ago
      Do any of the pro Iranian propagandists know any Iranian websites where I can post pro American and anti Iranian comments? ...maybe Yahoo Iran?...no, don't think so...also please let me know the rules...I don't want to get 90 lashes for free speech
    • Red Herring
      Red Herring  •  7 mths ago
      Do any of the pro Iranian propagandists know any Iranian websites where I can post pro American and anti Iranian comments? ...maybe Yahoo Iran?...no, don't think so...also please let me know the rules...I don't want to get 90 lashes for free speech
    • Frontier
      Frontier  •  7 mths ago
      Oh boy. Sounds like the DOGS of WAR are plotting again. The proof here is about as week as the Iraqi mobile chemical lab that turned out to be a milk truck. The CIA and FBI have lost all credibility with Americans and for that matter the world. The one sad truth that never seems to change though is that the ones who are determined on starting the wars could care less about the ones actually doing the fighting and dying. I sense that the world is definitely heading into some dark days ahead.
    • jc
      jc  •  7 mths ago
      dont trust anything from the US or Iranians governments just more of the same puppet leadership taking payoffs and getting fat off of corruption..
    • Candle Rice
      Candle Rice  •  7 mths ago
      Iran denies? No way!
      What's real news is when Iran says, hell yes we did this! And we'll do it again.
      That's news.
    • Cameraman
      Cameraman  •  7 mths ago
      It was done to divert attention away from Eric Holder...Iran is the sacrificial lamb on this one!
    • NetW
      NetW  •  7 mths ago
      As an Iranian-American, I hope my comment gets posted.

      First, I believe the timing of this information coincided with the recent UN report that torture of detainees took place by Afghani prison guards. It really amazes me that not one mainstream US journalist/reporter investigated the one important question that needs to be asked. That is, why did these Afgani prison guards risk retaliation against themselves and their families by torturing the detainees to extract information when this extracted information is only useful to the US government who, unlike the Afghani military, can actually use the Intel to drone attack locations, hunt down targets, etc. Why arent US reporters investigating whether the US military/CIA offered incentives (ie cash) to the Afghani prison guards for any extracted information/confessions? There is no doubt in my mind that the US government had an indirect involvement. It is only logical. Thus, we now know when President Obama claimed that America no longer tortures, he really meant to say 'we now torture with an invisible hand.'

      Second, I find it very dangerous that the US government was quick to hold the IRGG responsible based solely on the talks that Arbabsiar had with an undercover informant. It defies all logic and is completely absurd to even suggest, let alone accuse that high ranking members of the Iranian Government plotted to carry out this terrorist attack. As an Iranian-American who travels to Iran every year, there is no doubt in my mind that either a) Arbabsiar and the other Iranian-American are either lunatics, who acted alone. This can easily be determined if the $100,000 exchanged was from their own personal wealth, or b) these 2 Iranian-Americans had meetings with another lunatic in Iran who led them to believe they were being ordered by the Iranian government to carry out these attacks.

      If Arbabsiar was given $100,000 by a crazed rich-man in Iran posing to be a high ranking member of the Iranian government. Then I hope the FBI understands the seriousness of this issue. In my opinion, if they do not cooperate with the Iranian government, then I believe there is a rich crazy man on the loose in Iran who will try again to deceive further Iranian-Americans traveling to Iran to commit future attacks. It was very foolish for the FBI the accuse the IRRG of such a serious offense without any evidence whatsoever, except for a wire transfer of $100,000, which could have come from anyone in a nation of 70 million people. The FBI made a big mistake.
    • Keith
      Keith  •  7 mths ago
      Is this another FBI/DOJ "entrapment" case where they pat themselves on the back for stopping a "supposed" terror plot that never posed a snowballs chance in he _ _ of being pulled off because their informant initiated the plot? Someone needs to do a Mossad check on this one too, it fits right into their MO, and is soooooo beneficial to Israel.
    • cl
      cl  •  7 mths ago
      Most countrys are trying to move away from nuclear energy because of it's dangers. Meanwhile, Iran is sitting on top of one of the planets largest oil reserves, is moving towards nuclear energy!!!...Hmmm
    • No Quarter
      No Quarter  •  7 mths ago
      T IS Going To Be A Comedy Show When the Midget and the Mullahs reside in a smoking hole .12th century MORONS
     Post a comment
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