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Tehran has dismissed claims that a container intercepted by Israel was carrying 'hundreds of kilograms of Iranian-made arms' to Lebanon.
In remarks that instantly became the focus of Western media outlets, Israeli military sources said they found a large cache of weapons when they stormed a Lebanon-bound ship on Tuesday.
The sources added that the ship, which is currently being unloaded in Israel, was Iranian and the weaponry was destined for the Hezbollah resistance movement either in Lebanon or Syria.
"We found dozens of containers, with hundreds of tons of arms bound for Hezbollah from Iran," Israel's deputy naval commander, Rani Ben Yehuda, told reporters on Wednesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, in a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem on Wednesday, dismissed the allegations out of hand.
His remarks were backed by Muallem, who asserted that contrary to Israeli claims, "the ship was not carrying Iranian-made weaponry for Syria or Lebanon," but was in fact carrying Syrian-made items for consumption in Iran.
"Unfortunately a number of pirates disrupt business activities and frequenting of the ships, these pirates sometimes act in the name of [Iranians]," said the Syrian Foreign Minister.
Originally posted by rogerstigers
the official statement is:
Tehran has dismissed claims that a container intercepted by Israel was carrying 'hundreds of kilograms of Iranian-made arms' to Lebanon.
In remarks that instantly became the focus of Western media outlets, Israeli military sources said they found a large cache of weapons when they stormed a Lebanon-bound ship on Tuesday.
The sources added that the ship, which is currently being unloaded in Israel, was Iranian and the weaponry was destined for the Hezbollah resistance movement either in Lebanon or Syria.
"We found dozens of containers, with hundreds of tons of arms bound for Hezbollah from Iran," Israel's deputy naval commander, Rani Ben Yehuda, told reporters on Wednesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, in a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem on Wednesday, dismissed the allegations out of hand.
His remarks were backed by Muallem, who asserted that contrary to Israeli claims, "the ship was not carrying Iranian-made weaponry for Syria or Lebanon," but was in fact carrying Syrian-made items for consumption in Iran.
"Unfortunately a number of pirates disrupt business activities and frequenting of the ships, these pirates sometimes act in the name of [Iranians]," said the Syrian Foreign Minister.
Iran, Syria reject Israeli claims over arms cargo
This statement and the way it is worded is what makes me think it was a third party arms trafficker who pulled this off.
Originally posted by rogerstigers
reply to post by mrmonsoon
Actually, read it again. They aren't claiming it is weapons at all. They are claiming the ship was SUPPOSED to be carrying Syrian made items for CONSUMPTION in Iran...which would tend to imply clothes, food, consumables.
But who know what the hell the ship was SUPPOSED to be carrying.
And more to my point.. perhaps neither of them is complaining about stolen weapons or Israel holding onto the weapons because the weapons weren't theirs (Iran and Syria) to begin with.
[edit on 11-4-2009 by rogerstigers]
Originally posted by mrmonsoon
reply to post by rogerstigers
I understand.
It is very strange and confusing.
Add to the the fact that the ship went off it's course and went to Egypt and then left.
(link in other post).
What is the cargo and who's is it.
well, if nothing else, it has be a great opportunity for ATS posting.