When the US announced that they had found and detained high-ranking Iranian intelligence officers in Iraq, working with Shi'ite factions in an attempt to influence the Iraqi government, leading Iraqis protested that the men had received diplomatic invitations to Iraq. The US released the men to the Iraqis, who let them leave the country, and many criticized the US for provoking an international incident for no good reason. Now, however, the BBC reports that the Iranians were indeed spies on a mission to undermine Iraqi self-governance:

Five Iranians detained by US forces in Baghdad last month were senior intelligence officers engaged in a covert political mission to influence the Iraqi government, the BBC said.

"There were five senior officers in various intelligence organisations... It was a very significant meeting... These people have been collared, relatively speaking, up to no good," one unnamed British official told the broadcaster.

US forces detained 10 people on December 21 on suspicion of weapons smuggling after finding what they said were documents, maps, photographs and videos in a raid at pro-Iranian Shiite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim's compound.

Military commanders said the 10, two of whom were Iranian, were linked to "illegal activities," including potential attacks on coalition forces.

Three Iranian diplomats were detained in a vehicle in Baghdad the previous day but later released.

It seems that the story has changed a bit since the last dismissive reports. In fact, the Iranians took an inordinate amount of interest in plans for ministerial posts if Nouri al-Maliki stepped down from the Prime Minister post. They worked with the various Shi'ite political factions to get a good run-down on all the power players.

The US wants the men designated as personae non grata, which would strip them of any diplomatic immunity if they return to Iraq. So far, the Iraqis seem unwilling to do so, but they may need to answer why they want Iranian spies as participants in their political strategy sessions.

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--- Updated and bumped from Bill's Bites
See previous: OK, so now can we bomb their asses?, 'OK, so now can we bomb their asses? --- UpdateIran’s secret plans for IraqBryan Preston Eeeenteresting:WASHINGTON — Iran is supporting both Sunni and Shiite terrorists in the Iraqi civil war, [Read More]

Tracked on January 4, 2007 9:45 PM

» OK, so now can we bomb their asses? --- Update 2
--- Updated and bumped from Bill's Bites
See previous: OK, so now can we bomb their asses?, 'OK, so now can we bomb their asses? --- UpdateIran’s secret plans for IraqBryan Preston Eeeenteresting:WASHINGTON — Iran is supporting both Sunni and Shiite terrorists in the Iraqi civil war, [Read More]

Tracked on January 4, 2007 9:50 PM

» OK, so now can we bomb their asses? --- Update 2
--- Updated and bumped from Bill's Bites
See previous: OK, so now can we bomb their asses?, 'OK, so now can we bomb their asses? --- UpdateIran’s secret plans for IraqBryan Preston Eeeenteresting:WASHINGTON — Iran is supporting both Sunni and Shiite terrorists in the Iraqi civil war, [Read More]

Tracked on January 4, 2007 9:51 PM