State Secretary Mike Pompeo claims without evidence that Iran is the new homeland for the al-Qaeda terrorist group during a news conference in Washington, DC. This is the latest move from the U.S. in its coordinated efforts with Israel to provoke war with Iran.
Speaking with just eight days left in office, Pompeo alleged that Iran was “the new Afghanistan”, telling a news conference in Washington: “Unlike in Afghanistan, when al-Qaida was hiding in the mountains, al-Qaida today is operating under the hard shell of the Iranian regime’s protection.”
The Guardian
Most experts have already concluded that Iran has a complicated relationship with al-Qaeda. They say the country does harbor some “senior members” of the organization, but only to protect itself from a direct attack by the group. They continue to fight al-Qaeda outside of their borders.
Iran’s foreign minister immediately dismissed the allegations as “warmongering lies”, pointing out to the Trump administrations close ties to Saudi Arabia, the home country of most the 9/11 terrorists.
The Guardian
Israeli media reported in mid-November that the U.S. was working with Israel on an operation against Iran. Before that report, Donald Trump asked officials about a military strike on Iran. Days after the report, Israel assassinated a top Iranian military scientist.
The night before Pompeo’s press conference, he met with the leader of Mossad, Israel’s spy agency.
Sources
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/12/iran-al-qaida-mike-pompeo
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-pompeo/pompeo-in-tuesday-speech-to-accuse-iran-of-al-qaeda-links-sources-idUSKBN29H034
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/politics/pompeo-iran-qaeda-terror.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-us-planning-to-pressure-a-fearful-iran-as-trumps-term-ends-report-says/
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