Iran accuses US of overthrow plot
US and Iran in dispute over country's nuclear programme
Also In The News
|
A selection of the top news stories making the headlines in Europe in the last two months. |  |
Sunday, 22, Jul 2007 01:32
Iran has accused the United States government of playing a part in an alleged plot to overthrow its Islamic regime.
The allegation from the Middle Eastern country's foreign ministry comes after televised 'confessions' from two American-Iranians were shown by the state-run broadcaster.
Dual nationals Haleh Esfandiari and Kian Tajbakhsh, arrested in May while visiting Iran, were shown on the programme admitting to involvement in the plot, dubbed the "velvet revolution" by Iranian authorities.
Mohammad Ali Hosseini, Tehran's vice minister of foreign affairs, accused the US of putting measures in place to "overthrow the [Iranian] system".
At a scheduled news conference he said: "The confessions of the two detained people uncover a long-term plan which America has invested in and has allocated a great budget for."
Washington has demanded the immediate release of Mr Esfandiari and Mr Tajbakhsh, but has had its requests issued through the Swiss embassy for consular access knocked back.
State department spokesman Tom Casey told the Reuters news agency that the televised confessions had been an "embarrassment" for Iran.
He elaborated: "Is it really possible to imagine that a government is so fragile and so under siege that individuals coming to visit elderly family members threaten its existence?"
There have been no diplomatic relations between Iran and the US since the 1979 Islamic revolution, while the two countries are currently embroiled in a dispute over Iran's controversial uranium enrichment programme.