U.S. Charges 2 Iranians in Plot to Kill Saudi Envoy, Iran Rejects Prefabricated Scenario
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The United States said Tuesday it had busted a plot conceived at high levels of Iran's revolutionary leadership to kill the Saudi envoy to Washington in a major terror attack, and vowed to hold Tehran to account.
An aide to Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad later on denied allegations that the Islamic republic was involved in such plot.
"The United States will contact governments worldwide to brief them on an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in the United States," Attorney General Eric Holder said.
"I think one has to be concerned about the chilling nature of what the Iranian government attempted to do here," Holder told a press conference after the alleged plot was unveiled.
"One thing that we will be doing is getting in touch with other of our allies and nations around the world to make them aware of what it is that was thwarted here," he said.
Injecting an explosive new element into the showdown between Washington and the Islamic Republic, the Justice Department charged two men with conspiring with factions of the Iranian government to carry out a deadly plot to blow up Saudi Ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir on American soil.
The criminal complaint named Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen holding both Iranian and U.S. passports, and Gholam Shakuri, an Iran-based member of Iran's Quds Force, in the plot.
Shakuri remains at large, Justice Department officials said.
Arbabsiar was arrested on September 29 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and was to appear in court later on Tuesday in Manhattan.
"The complaint alleges that this conspiracy was conceived, was sponsored, and was directed from Iran and constitutes a flagrant constitution against the law from protecting diplomats from being harmed," Holder added.
"In addition to them being held accountable for their plot, the United States is committed to holding Iran accountable for its actions."
"The organization that I reference in my warrant is a component of the Iranian government.
"It was directed and approved by the senior members of the Quds force and the Iranian military. High-up officials in those areas were responsible for this plot."
Holder said the plot was "conceived, sponsored and directed from Iran."
News reports said the plot also included a bomb and subsequent bomb attacks on the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington.
The case, called Operation Red Coalition, began in May when an Iranian-American from Corpus Christi, Texas, approached a U.S. informant seeking the help of a Mexican drug cartel to assassinate the Saudi ambassador, according to counter-terrorism officials.
The Iranian-American thought he was dealing with a member of a Mexican drug organization, according to documents.
"This is a prefabricated scenario to turn public attention away from domestic problems within the United States," Ali Akbar Javanfekr, the president's press adviser, told AFP.
"The U.S. government and the CIA have a lot of experience in deviating public attention from domestic problems in the United States. We have to wait now to know the details of this prefabricated scenario to know the U.S. government's objectives," he said.
Iran and the United States broke off diplomatic relations more than 30 years ago after U.S. diplomats were taken hostage in Tehran by Islamic students.
Tensions have risen in recent years, notably over Tehran's controversial nuclear activities, which the United States fears is being used to develop an atomic arsenal under the guise of a civilian energy programme.
Tehran has repeatedly denied that accusation.
The United States has imposed tough, unilateral sanctions on Iran on top of sanctions adopted by the U.N. Security Council.
Ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia have also deteriorated this year, principally because of Saudi military intervention in Bahrain to help that country's Sunni regime put down pro-democracy protests by members of the Shiite majority. Iran's population is also predominantly Shiite.
11 October 2011, 22:22
03
waw!!!
and now hizbushaitan will say this is a conspiracy, and they will make a conference to say these two guys are israeli, .... :)
11 October 2011, 22:32
02
the key reaction will be in putin's hand, as he hold the life of bashar and his followers in his hand. and with this news, he will move away from helping both the syrian and iranian regimes,
The end is almost here.
11 October 2011, 22:53
03
Can't wait to hear from MoRotten, BigIdiot, MrNoBrain, Jabelcamel, Ado(lf) and the other Persion Propagandists on this one.
And some still are in denial that Iran ordered the killing (or attempted murders) of Hariri, Gemayel, Tueni, Kassir, Eido, Ghanem, Hawi, Eid, Chidiac, Hamade, and Murr!!!!!!
Wake up Aounies!!! This is who you are sleeping with! Not to mention the mass murderer in Damascus who is also your close ally
12 October 2011, 00:00
20
I pity the fools who believe everything they hear and the fools who reject everything they hear...
I pity the fools who will link this "probably-fabricated/or not" flash news to the situation in Syria & Lebanon.
I pity the fools whose hatred wells will be filled to the rim now against shiites.
I pity the fools whose loathe gets to blind these same fools off the shining truth.
I pity the fools who constitute the majority of my fellow citizens..
12 October 2011, 01:06
01
This would not be the first time that the criminal Iranian regime is caught red handed, and will not be the last time unless the whole world steps up to the plate and sends this criminal 7th century terrorist regime back to hell where it came from. Enough slow dancing with these bastards!!!! What's the world waiting for is it for the Mullahs in Tehran and Qom to obtain or have at their disposal a Nuclear Weapons technology???!!!! The Iranian Risk is growing exponentially with every day that passes by and that snake Khamenei and his criminal zombie thugs are still alive to wreak havock over the ME and threaten the world security!!! NUKE THE CRIMINAL BASTARDS BACK TO THE STONE AGE (they're almost there anyways)!!!
12 October 2011, 02:19
10
What's with the word "alleged?" Does anyone remember the confirmations by the United States of Affkoles relating to the acquisition by Saddam Hussein of nuclear and biological weapons, confirmations that the US of Affkoles used to launch an illegal and criminal war? Even Colin Powel doesn't know where to bury his face in shame and disgrace. And now this! And look who's talking!!! Criminal affkoles with absolutely no credibility! Go play bel arb3a
12 October 2011, 02:27
10
Yeah, and those who could cook such a lame plot are so dumb and do not know how strict and secure the US is. You have to be a radish to believe such a pathetic joke. Just read the comments of the losers above. 3an jad, m3alla2in bi 7ibal al hawa
12 October 2011, 03:50
01
Sometimes, I wonder what would it take to convince someone of something? I mean I think if they saw someone speaking persian, he shows them his iranian passport, he goes on and kills their parents. They would think that this is a conspiracy and he's infact an Israeli or an American spy duping them to think that it's Iran...
You guys live in the darkness and will refuse to ever see the light. It doesn't matter what you are shown, read, or given you will always beleive it's a world conspiracy against your beloved ones.
12 October 2011, 07:07
01
Seriously, this has the potential to be the spark for something extremely big!
this is an attempted terror plot on US soil that might have led to the death of over 100 US citizens, including top politicians.
this might easily be considered as an act of war by the government of iran on the US, or downgraded!
we need to wait and see.
12 October 2011, 07:50
21
For all of you out there who already have posted your comments about this supposed made up story by the US let me tell you something: WAKE UP from your "everything is a conspiracy" by the Americans. It is really far fetched for the iranians to plan something like this. It is really out of their realm. They and their militia have already killed many Lebanese Heros so dont give me this crap about them not capable of such a scheme. It's like America has nothing better to do than make up such a story. Go on ppl, we have much bigger fish to fry. GOD BLESS AMERICA. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DONT LIKE THIS, GO TO HELL.
12 October 2011, 11:46
20
Good Ole... sympathizes with volume killers and seeks God's blessings on them, too! They need more than God's blessing, something more powerful than God's rescue as they are in such a miserable and unenviable state that even God gave up on them. But Good Ole vegetable takes what the volume killers say at face value! Hey, vegetable, raise that US flag higher towards the heavens and poke God in the eye. Perhaps then He might look into their case one final time. In the meantime, keep living in LALA Land, vegetable.
