lennart
09-01-04, 16:02
Iran: Syria did not use aid planes to send arms to Hezbollah
By Reuters
Iran on Friday denied claims by Israeli security sources that Syrian planes that flew earthquake relief aid to Iran had returned with weapons for Hezbollah guerrillas.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi called the accusation a "baseless and a sheer lie."
"After the Israelis observed the... world's solidarity with the Iranian nation they became angry and they're continuing their policy based on lies and cheating by fabricating such news," he told Reuters.
Syrian officials had no immediate comment.
The security sources said Syrian aircraft delivering aid for victims of the December 26 earthquake in the Iranian city of Bam carried missiles and other weapons for Hezbollah on the return leg to Damascus, where the arms were put on trucks to Lebanon.
"Shipments to Hezbollah had been suspended because Washington has been keeping a close eye on Syria since the war in Iraq began," one of the sources said.
The security sources said U.S. intelligence was also aware of the alleged Syrian operation.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/381409.html
By Reuters
Iran on Friday denied claims by Israeli security sources that Syrian planes that flew earthquake relief aid to Iran had returned with weapons for Hezbollah guerrillas.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi called the accusation a "baseless and a sheer lie."
"After the Israelis observed the... world's solidarity with the Iranian nation they became angry and they're continuing their policy based on lies and cheating by fabricating such news," he told Reuters.
Syrian officials had no immediate comment.
The security sources said Syrian aircraft delivering aid for victims of the December 26 earthquake in the Iranian city of Bam carried missiles and other weapons for Hezbollah on the return leg to Damascus, where the arms were put on trucks to Lebanon.
"Shipments to Hezbollah had been suspended because Washington has been keeping a close eye on Syria since the war in Iraq began," one of the sources said.
The security sources said U.S. intelligence was also aware of the alleged Syrian operation.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/381409.html