Tehran Rejects Accusations Over British Soldier Attacks

6 October 2005 -- Iran has categorically rejected accusations from Britain that Iran is behind increased incidents of violence against British troops in southern Iraq.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi is quoted as calling the British charges a "lie."

The Iranian spokesman said it was not Iran but British forces that were responsible for the insecurity and instability in Iraq.

Yesterday, a senior British official accused Iranian Revolutionary Guards of actively colluding in the smuggling of weapons into Iraq which were later used in attacks that killed eight British soldiers.

(BBC/dpa)