BICOM
13th January 2021
The Financial Times report on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim that Iran has allowed al-Qaeda to establish a base in the country. Pompeo told reporters yesterday: “Unlike in Afghanistan, when al-Qaeda was hiding in the mountains, al-Qaeda today is operating under the hard shell of the Iranian regime’s protection.” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif rebuffed the claims, writing on twitter: “From designating Cuba to fictitious Iran ‘declassifications’ and AQ claims, Mr. ‘we lie, cheat, steal’ is pathetically ending his disastrous career with more warmongering lies. No one is fooled. All 9/11 terrorists came from @SecPompeo’s favourite ME destinations; NONE from Iran.” Pompeo also confirmed long standing reports that senior al-Qaeda member Abu Mohammed al-Mari was assassinated in Tehran last summer.