Posted on 01/25/2007 5:16:35 AM PST by nuconvert
U.S. Says Quds Force Operations Director Among Detained Iranians
January 24, 2007
Associated Press
International Herald Tribune
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The U.S. ambassador said Wednesday that one of the Iranians detained by U.S. forces in Iraq during two raids over the past month was the director of operations for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Quds faction, the organization responsible for funding and arming Iraqi militants.
Zalmay Khalilzad said the recent raids were part of a "new strategy" to "go after their networks that are active here."
The United States is building up its troops in the region, beyond the additional 21,500 on their way to Iraq for a new security crackdown, in what appears to be a message to Iran. Khalilzad sought to reinforce Washington's message that Tehran should keep hands off Iraq, where it has enormous influence with the majority Shiite population.
Iran is ruled by a Shiite theocracy, which has confounded U.S. foreign policy for the more- than quarter century since the U.S.-allied shah was driven from power by the Islamic revolution that swept the country.
At least eight Iranians have been detained, including two diplomats in a Dec. 21 round up of a group of 10 suspects. The diplomats were interrogated and released to Iranian officials on eight days later.
Six others were captured Jan. 11 at an Iranian liaison office in the northern city of Irbil. One was released and five are still believed in U.S. custody.
"Some of those we've arrested are Quds Force operatives. One of them was director of operations for the Quds Force" who was in the country without the knowledge of Iraqi security officials, he said.
The ambassador, who has been nominated by U.S. President George W. Bush as Washington's envoy to the United Nations, said Iranians were being snatched by U.S. forces
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
U.S. Says Quds Force Operations Director Among Detained Iranians ping.
Larijani: Kidnapping of Iranian diplomats to be pursued seriously
Tehran, Jan 25, IRNA
Iran-Larijani-Nuclear
Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani said here Thursday that Iran will seriously pursue the case of Iranian diplomats kidnapped by US troops in northern Iraq.
Larijani made the remark, while speaking to reporters at Mehrabad International Airport, where he saw off his Saudi counterpart, Bandar bin Sultan.
He added that continued attempts are underway to solve the issue soon and release the kidnapped Iranian diplomats.
Larijani assessed the cooperation of Iraqi government and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maleki in this regard as favorable.
In response to a question about the deadlock specified in the UNSC Resolution 1737, he said that Iran's nuclear path is quite clear.
"Since the beginning, Iran believed that its nuclear case is a legal and technical issue and that adventurous moves to place it on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council can certainly not have an impact on our will," he added.
Underlining that Iran will continue its nuclear course under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said that talks on the issue are currently underway and that talks should be resumed by those who have suspended negotiations.
He expressed confidence that the parties aiming to make a crisis over the issue will get nowhere.
He rejected rumors about the possible replacement of Iran's nuclear negotiating team.
"Talks are currently underway between Iran's Foreign Ministry and France and representatives of French government are expected to be dispatched to Iran for continuing negotiation on the issue," he said in response to a question about the visit of a French delegation to Iran.
About his talks with Bandar bin Sultan and the common points between the two sides, he said, "Naturally, decision made by world countries are based on their own interests, but Iran and Saudi Arabia have many common interests.
"In addition to Saudi Arabia, Iran is holding talks with other regional states on matters of mutual concern."
Turning to Saudi Arabia as a significant country in the region, he said that the two countries have favorable common views in some fields.
The SNSC secretary stressed that both Iran and Saudi Arabia are determined to avoid flaming factional discord, adding Shiites and Sunnis are Muslims as well as each others' brothers.
"Iran and Saudi Arabia can further expand their cooperation in common grounds," said Larijani.
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0701256443163215.htm
Brig. Gen. Mohsen Chirazi
We are definitely in a proxy war with Iran, Russia, China, N.Korea, Venezuela and Syria already.
According to this Wash. Post article he was captured in the Dec. raid.....
"Last month, U.S. forces nabbed two senior Iranians - Brig. Gen. Mohsen Chirazi and Col. Abu Amad Davari - in the first round of raids. Chirazi is the No. 3 in the al-Quds Brigade and the highest-ranking Iranian ever held by the United States"
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070112/REPOSITORY/701120382/1013/48HOURS
The initial reports were that it was Hassan Abbasi
Short memory these A-holes have. I seem to remember a little incident back in the late 1970s when the immortal Jimmy Carter was High Commissar of the Leftists and the Iranians held our embassy folks for 444 days. Very short memory banks on how they raided our embassy.
We are definitely in a proxy war with Iran, Russia, China, N.Korea, Venezuela and Syria already.
You left out the Marxists in the US.
Sorry, you're right of course.
Thanks for the ping. If only we can hold onto those few key goons and run em through the washboards a few dozen times.
These scumbags are responsible for a lot of deaths among our great soldiers and Marines. I won't say everything we ought to do with them, but it begins with castration and...... maybe we should implant GPS homing devices in them, send them back to Iran, and target the Revolutionary Guards facilities that they head for....
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