Iran on Wednesday slammed as " unfounded and false" a U.S. allegation that al-Qaida members were present in the Islamic Republic, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"Dissemination of such reports are aimed to cover up failure of the occupying forces in guaranteeing security of Iraq," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi was quoted as saying.

Asefi said that Iran's stances against the al-Qaida terrorist group was "completely clear", stressing that Iran had "acted on its international responsibilities regarding the campaign against terrorism."

"Undoubtedly, under the current circumstances when security conditions in Iraq are worsening day by day, the presence of the U. S. occupiers will pave the ground themselves for terrorist activities of such groups as al-Qaida," Asefi added.

Washington has accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism, especially harboring al-Qaida members who fled from Iraq and meddling in the internal affairs of the violence-plagued country.

The U.S. has said recently that the mounting turbulence in Iraq is related to the al-Qaida members in Iran.

But meanwhile, the U.S. and Iran are expected to hold negotiations on Iraq following a proposal by a prominent Iraqi Shiite political leader.

Source: Xinhua