ARBIL (IRAQ) - US FORCES stormed an Iranian consular office in the northern Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil early yesterday and arrested five people, including diplomats and staff, Iranian officials said.
The US military made no direct mention of Iranians, but in answer to a query, it issued a statement saying six 'individuals' had been arrested during 'routine' operations.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini condemned the raid - the second such operation in the past month - and said it was a violation of international law.
'The activity of all those people at our office in Arbil was legal and was in cooperation with and had the approval of the Iraqi side,' he told Iran's state-owned satellite channel Al-Alam.
The US military said it had detained six people around Arbil on suspicion of being 'closely tied to activities targeting Iraqi and coalition forces'.
Mr Hosseini denied that Iran was meddling in Iraq and denounced President George W. Bush's plan to boost troops in Iraq as a 'continuation of occupation'.
He added: 'The instalment of Patriot missiles is part of the US policy direction to create a support umbrella for the Zionist regime through an Islamic country.'
On Wednesday, Mr Bush unveiled plans to increase the number of US troops in Iraq, as well as to deploy anti-missile Patriot missiles and an aircraft carrier in the region.
REUTERS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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