Contradictory statements by parliament member on weapons smuggling to Iran; no official report exists but ‘we are sorry’
A member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly has made contradictory statements, saying there are “no official reports” of weapons smuggling to Iran, yet there have been reports of weapons smuggling by “certain groups” or perhaps specific individuals, and “we regret this situation.”
Hassan Hamati, representative of Takab and Shahin Dej, in an interview with Farsi News Agency while denying the existence of official reports on weapons smuggling to Iran, implicitly accused opposition groups and “US-dependent countries” of attempting to create problems in Iran’s “internal security and border security.” He did not mention the names of these groups and countries.
The news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, reported that previously Tehran’s security commander had expressed concern about the increased volume of weapons entering the capital.
The Voice of America correspondent in Arbil reported in August that the “Future Center for Strategic Studies” in a report on the crisis of illegal weapons in Iraq stated that some neighboring countries of Iraq with political objectives facilitate the entry of weapons outside the control of the Iraqi government into this country.
Ali Mane, one of the members of the Iraqi parliament, had said: “Part of the weapons that are being bought and sold are smuggled from countries in the region, and Iran has the largest share in this regard.”
Source: Voice of America
