Iraq accuses Iran of seizing coastguards, Tehran denies

[leftchick]

ruh-roh...

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-17T133905Z_01_GEO736763_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAQ-IRAN-COASTGUARDS.xml

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq demanded on Tuesday the release of coastguards it said were seized by Iran during a clash involving suspected oil smugglers on their tidal frontier, but Iran's Baghdad embassy denied all knowledge of the incident.

The affair, in which Iraqi officers said one of their men was badly wounded, is a test for the new warmth in relations between Baghdad and Tehran since pro-Iranian Shi'ites took control in Iraq following the U.S. ousting of Saddam Hussein.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari was raising the issue with Iranian charge d'affaires Hasan Kazemi-Qomi at a meeting called in part to discuss the incident, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Iraqi officials, in confusing statements, have said nine or 10 coastguards were seized on Saturday or Sunday in the Shatt al-Arab estuary between Basra and the Gulf. The tidal frontier between the two states has been long disputed.

But Kazemi-Qomi said through a spokeswoman: "The reports of this incident are untrue." He made no further comment.



:nuke:

[leftchick]

1. Related: Iraq sailor killed in clash with Iran ship

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/special_packages/iraq/13642713.htm

BASRA, Iraq - An Iraqi sailor was killed and nine were captured by an Iranian Navy vessel during a skirmish in the Gulf near the southern Iraqi city of Basra, an Iraqi official said Tuesday.

Basra Gov. Mohammed al-Waeli told The Associated Press that the clash happened Saturday after an Iraqi Navy ship spotted a suspicious merchant vessel flying an Iraqi flag.

[Sal316]

2. Iraq accuses Iran of seizing coastguards, Tehran denies

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq demanded on Tuesday the release of coastguards it said were seized by Iran during a clash involving suspected oil smugglers on their tidal frontier, but Iran's Baghdad embassy denied all knowledge of the incident.

Reuters Story

[Sal316]

3. Another take on this.

GlobalSecurity.org


Iran-Iraq Naval Clash Leaves One Iraqi Dead, Nine Captured

17 January 2006 -- An Iraqi official says an Iraqi sailor was killed and nine were captured by an Iranian navy vessel during a skirmish in the Persian Gulf near the southern Iraqi city of Al-Basrah.

[Sal316]

5. Dangit!

First time ever I duped.

Ah, well... not bad one in a few years.

[hwmnbn]

4. The dog and pony show starts now.....

Hey, he hit me

Did not, he hit me first....

did so... he's a liar....

who you calling a liar!?

you motherfucker!!

Bam!! armed conflict.

[pinerow]

6. Gulf of Tonkin Redux

:argh: