.Iraq's envoy in Iran says bomb found at house
TEHRAN (AFP) — A bomb was found at the entrance of the Iraqi ambassador's residence in Tehran, a day after Iraqi prime minister ended his visit to the Islamic republic, the envoy said on Wednesday.
The suspicious package was discovered by the ambassador's driver in front of his home and was later found to contain explosives, he said. However Iranian police insisted this was not the case and it only contained "aquarium supplies."
"I am not an expert on the issue but the experts that were sent to us told and assured us that it was explosive package," Iraq's ambassador to Iran Mohammad Majid al-Sheikh told AFP.
He did not lay the blame on any specific group but said: "I think those who are against good relations between Iran and Iraq are behind it.
"Especially after the successful visit by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki," who wound up a major three-day visit to Iran on Monday.
But confusingly, Iranian news agencies carried reports denying the package contained a bomb.
"In the examination by the bomb squad, it was found out that the suspicious object was aquarium supplies," police spokesman Mehdi Ahmadi was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
The state news agency IRNA quoted an unnamed official in the Iranian foreign ministry as saying that "after expert examination it turned out the package only contained 'normal material'."
Despite fighting an eight-year war in the 1980s, Iran now enjoys warm ties with its western neighbour and its new Shiite leaders after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein.
AFP
The suspicious package was discovered by the ambassador's driver in front of his home and was later found to contain explosives, he said. However Iranian police insisted this was not the case and it only contained "aquarium supplies."
"I am not an expert on the issue but the experts that were sent to us told and assured us that it was explosive package," Iraq's ambassador to Iran Mohammad Majid al-Sheikh told AFP.
He did not lay the blame on any specific group but said: "I think those who are against good relations between Iran and Iraq are behind it.
"Especially after the successful visit by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki," who wound up a major three-day visit to Iran on Monday.
But confusingly, Iranian news agencies carried reports denying the package contained a bomb.
"In the examination by the bomb squad, it was found out that the suspicious object was aquarium supplies," police spokesman Mehdi Ahmadi was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
The state news agency IRNA quoted an unnamed official in the Iranian foreign ministry as saying that "after expert examination it turned out the package only contained 'normal material'."
Despite fighting an eight-year war in the 1980s, Iran now enjoys warm ties with its western neighbour and its new Shiite leaders after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein.
AFP
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