AP: U.S. Contradicts Iraqi Foreign Minister (says "consulate" was Revolutionary Guards op)

[Eugene]

U.S. Contradicts Iraqi Foreign Minister

The Associated Press
Friday, January 12, 2007; 6:37 PM

WASHINGTON -- U.S.-led forces entered an Iranian building in Kurdish-controlled
northern Iraq because information linked the facility to Revolutionary Guards and
other Iranian elements engaging in violent activities in Iraq, the State Department
said Friday.

Deputy spokesman Tom Casey said there was no truth to reports that Iran was
carrying out legitimate diplomatic activity at the site.

"It did not have the standing of a consulate nor did it have any other international
diplomatic standing to speak of," Casey said.

-snip-

Casey's comments contradict Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd, who
said Friday that the Iranians were working in a "liaison office" in Irbil that had
government approval and was in the process of being approved as a consulate.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/12/AR2007011201742.html

Iranian Revolutionay Guards? Didn't the U.S. military describe the raid
as a "routine" security operation?

[leftchick]

1. the story keeps evolving

Why would revolutionary guards be hanging out and working in an office in "The Peaceful Iraq".

[Roland99]

2. The State Dept said? Hmm...who just went to the State Dept recently? I wonder who that was??

John "Death Squads" Negroponte!

[Junkdrawer]

4. I knew that Negroponte's move was ominous...

He went from the 'Planning' dept. to the 'Operations' dept. :scared:

[MazeRat7]

3. The undersecretary of state (Burns) was all over the place today saying the same thing...

He has been saying it was not an embassy and nobody there had any diplomatic credentials.

This was also confirmed by the Swiss who provide some kind of liaison service between the US and Iran ???

MZr7

[Igel]

5. Switzerland does that.

Recently their ambassador to Iran was called in for an upbraiding by the Iranians because of something the US did or said, I forget what. The Swiss diplomat was to pass along the rebuke and let State know the Iranians were pissed.