Iraq To Document Iranian Meddling

Iraqi President al-Maliki has formed a committee to collect evident of Iran providing support to militias in Iraq. So what are Iraq's options when the committee presents evidence of Iranian meddling in Iraqi affairs?Reuters

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has ordered the formation of a committee to compile evidence of Iranian "interference" in Iraq that will then be presented to Tehran, the government spokesman said on Sunday.

Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh was speaking a day after a delegation from Iraq's ruling Shi'ite alliance returned from Tehran after showing Iranian officials evidence of the Islamic Republic's backing of Shi'ite militias in Iraq.

Dabbagh said Iranian officials who met that delegation had denied any meddling in Iraq.

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Asked by Reuters what evidence existed so far, Dabbagh said Iranian missiles had been found in the southern city of Basra during a recent crackdown on militias in the southern city.

"The proof we have is weapons which are shown to be made in Iran. We want to trace back how they reached (Iraq), who is using them, where are they getting it," Dabbagh said.

Washington accuses Iran of funding, arming and training Shi'ite militias to attack U.S.-led troops and Iraqi government forces, despite its public commitment to stabilizing Iraq. Tehran blames the violence on the presence of U.S. forces

The U.S. military said last week "very, very significant" amounts of Iranian arms had been found in Basra and also Baghdad during an offensive against militiamen loyal to anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr that began in late March.

Some of those arms were made in 2008, the military said.

U.S. military officials had planned to display some of the weapons but decided to let the Iraqis make their own case to Iran first.

Dabbagh said the government committee would be comprised of representatives of the various security ministries.