U.S. Declines To Comment On Chalabi Spy Claims

2 June 2004 -- The U.S. State Department has declined to comment on reports that Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi disclosed to an Iranian official that the United States had broken the secret communication code of Iran's intelligence services.

Chalabi has denied these reports.

The issue was raised with spokesman Richard Boucher at the department's daily briefing. Boucher said he would not comment on the matter.

"The New York Times" reported on its front page the charge that Chalabi betrayed one of Washington's most valuable sources of information about Iran.

Chalabi heads the Iraqi National Congress and until recently was a close ally of the United States.

(Agencies)