U.S. troops in Iraq capture 2 suspected weapons smugglers who may be linked to Iran

The Associated Press : Sunday, July 22, 2007

BAGHDAD: U.S. troops on Sunday detained two suspected weapons smugglers who may linked to Iran's elite Quds force, the military said. The two were captured and a number of weapons confiscated during a raid on a rural farm compound in eastern Iraq, near the Iranian border, according to a military statement. "The suspects may be associated with a network of terrorists that have been smuggling explosively formed projectiles (EFPs), other weapons, personnel and money from Iran into Iraq," the military said. EFPs are powerful, armor-piercing roadside bombs that have killed hundreds of U.S. soldiers in recent months. The announcement came just days after Washington said it was is ready to hold new direct talks with Iran on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq amid U.S. allegations that Tehran is supporting violence Shiite militias in the country. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday that no date had been set for the talks had yet to be arranged but suggested that discussions were under way on setting a time for the meeting, which would be the first between the two arch-foes since late May when U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, met Iranian officials in Baghdad.
That May 28 meeting marked a break in a 27-year diplomatic freeze and was expected to have been followed within a month by a second encounter. But since then, bitterness has mounted as U.S. officials have stepped up allegations of Iranian involvement in Iraq's violence. Tensions have also risen over Tehran's detention of four Iranian-American scholars and activists charged with endangering national security. The U.S. has demanded their release, saying the charges against them are false. At the same time, Iran has called for the release of five Iranians detained in Iraq, whom the United States has said are the operations chief and other members of Iran s elite Quds Force, which is accused of arming and training Iraqi militants. Iran says the five are diplomats in Iraq with permission of the government. The Iraqi government, which is backed by the U.S. but closely allied to Iran, has been trying to get the two sides together, hoping some cooperation will reduce violence in the wartorn country.