‘Tactical cooperation’ marks Iran-al-Qeda ties, experts say
Iran has for years faced accusations of cooperation with al-Qaeda despite stark ideological differences, but while mutual interests may have sometimes converged, any relationship has been marked by distrust, analysts say.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim — made just a week before President Donald Trump leaves office — that Iran was the “new Afghanistan” for al-Qaeda militants surprised observers, who said there was no evidence of the country being used as a base.
He also stated publicly for the first time that al-Qaeda’s number two, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, known as Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was assassinated in Tehran in August, buttressing allegations that Iran has at times offered sanctuary to the extremists.
Iran has for years faced accusations of cooperation with al-Qaeda despite stark ideological differences, but while mutual interests may have sometimes converged, any relationship has been marked by distrust, analysts say. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim — made just a week before President Donald Trump leaves office — that Iran was the “new Afghanistan” for al-Qaeda militants surprised observers, who said there was no evidence of the country being used as a base. He also stated publicly for the first time that al-Qaeda’s number two, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, known as Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was assassinated in Tehran in August, buttressing allegations that Iran has at times offered sanctuary to the extremists. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim — made just a week before President Donald Trump leaves office — that Iran was the “new Afghanistan” for al-Qaeda militants surprised observers, who said there was no evidence of the country being used as a base. He also stated publicly for the first time that al-Qaeda’s number two, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, known as Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was assassinated in Tehran in August, buttressing allegations that Iran has at times offered sanctuary to the extremists. Iran-al-Qeda Iran-al-Qeda Iran-al-Qeda
English translation of this report is exclusive to Iran Briefing Iran Briefing : Qasem Sholeh-Sadi, imprisoned lawyer and former lawmaker, is about to be paralyzed due to lack of medical care. Mohsen Aminzadeh, Deputy Foreign Minister during Khatami’s presidency, was tr... Read more
