U.S. reportedly blocks Iran missile delivery to Hezbollah
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-08-19 13:43
WASHINGTON, Aug 18 -- The United States blocked an Iranian cargo plane's
flight to Syria last month as it was carrying missiles and launchers to resupply
Hezbollah, the USA Today daily newspaper reported on Friday.
The U.S. blocked the plane after intelligence analysts concluded it was
carrying sophisticated missiles and launchers to resupply Hezbollah in southern
Lebanon.
Eight days after Hezbollah's war with Israel began, U.S. diplomats persuaded
Turkey and Iraq to deny the plane permission to cross their territory to
Damascus, a transfer point for arms to Hezbollah, the officials were quoted as
saying.
The episode was detailed by one U.S. intelligence official who saw a report
on the incident, and was confirmed by a U.S. official from a second intelligence
agency and by a diplomat with a foreign government, the newspaper said.
The officials and diplomat's accounts illustrated the quiet support the
United States gave Israel during the 34-day war, even enlisting help from Muslim
nations where acting on Israel's behalf was politically anathema, it said.
Israel and U.S. President George W. Bush have accused the Shiite-dominated
government of Iran of shipping the Shiite militia increasingly sophisticated
weapons by way of Syria, the newspaper said.
The report also said the Iraqi and Turkish governments would not discuss the
incident, Iran's United Nations mission denied trying to send Hezbollah weapons,
and claimed that the intelligence officials had not provided reports, satellite
photos or other evidence to corroborate the sequence of events.
Their account could not be independently verified, it
added.
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