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| Iraq |
| Iran says gunmen tried to assassinate embassy staff |
| 2008-05-17 |
| Iranian officials are blaming the shooting in Baghdad partially on inadequate security by U.S. troops. Iran's Foreign Ministry also blames "distrustful" U.S. security measures for contributing to such incidents, according to a report Friday in the country's Islamic Republic News Agency. "The onus is on the occupying forces to ensure security of embassy personnel in Baghdad. The distrustful safety measures taken by U.S. military forces in Iraq have become a serious cause for concern as it is stoking instability in the country," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini is quoted as saying. "The Islamic Republic is determined to launch extensive investigations on the assassination attempt and will pursue the incident through Iraqi officials," Hosseini added. The allegations followed conflicting accounts of Thursday's shooting. An initial bulletin on IRNA's Web site said, "U.S. agents carried [out] terror attacks on Iranian Embassy staff in Baghdad," and another posted eight minutes later said, "Iran holds the U.S. government responsible for terror attacks on Iranian Embassy staff in Baghdad." But IRNA reported on Friday that four Iranian Embassy staff members and diplomats were seriously injured when "unknown terrorists" shot at their car on Thursday. An Iraqi Interior Ministry report said unidentified gunmen in northern Baghdad fired on two SUVs carrying five employees and a driver -- all of whom were transported to an Iraqi hospital for treatment. The Baghdad Operations Command, however, reported that an Iraqi army patrol was shot at and returned fire at the SUVs -- injuring the embassy workers and their driver, according to the official. The U.S. military on Friday said the Iraqi Army found four wounded Iranian nationals in a vehicle near Baghdad on Thursday, and that the Iraqi police are investigating. Col. Jerry O'Hara, a U.S. military spokesman, emphasized the United States "was in no way involved in this attack," refuting press reports that indicated American forces were involved. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #3 Who cares what Iran has to say. It is a nation of idiots. I heard that a U.S. soldier used the Quran for target practice. So what. I have pissed on that fake book of lies. George Vreeland Hill |
| Posted by: George Vreeland Hill 2008-05-17 18:34 |
| #2 Iranian officials are blaming the shooting in Baghdad partially on inadequate security by U.S. troops. Game's changed Hosseini, fetch my irony gun. |
| Posted by: George Smiley 2008-05-17 10:59 |
| #1 If WE shot your |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-05-17 09:49 |