Gates: Iran May Be Arming Taliban

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates Wednesday said Iran may be involved in arming the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Gates, speaking at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, said the quantity of Iranian weaponry being shipped to the Taliban in Afghanistan makes it likely the Iranian government is involved.

It’s pretty clear there is a fairly substantial flow of weapons (into Afghanistan), he said. I haven’t seen intelligence specifically to this effect, but I would say given the quantities we’re seeing, it’s difficult to believe it is associated with smuggling or the drug business or that it is taking place without the knowledge of the Iranian government.

Undersecretary of State Nichols Burns told CNN Wednesday there is irrefutable evidence Tehran is transferring weapons to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Gates also said he was concerned about possible fallout from Wednesday’s attack on the Golden Mosque in Samara, Iraq.

It would appear to be yet another effort by al-Qaida to try to prevent political reconciliation in Iraq, to try and stoke sectarian violence, he said.

Gates said he hopes Iraqis will see the attack as an effort by al-Qaida to incite more fighting between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.