The United States said Wednesday that the incident concerning a group of Iranians stopped at a checkpoint and later released was closed.
"This was something that happened in the routine course of military operations in Baghdad. The issue was handled and looked at. The individuals have subsequently been released. And I think that's pretty much case closed," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said at a briefing.
According to Casey, the Iranians, including two diplomats, were stopped at a checkpoint and some weapons were confiscated. After U. S. forces searched the hotel rooms they were in, the Iranians were detained "for a period of time."
"They were then released into Iraqi custody, and I believe subsequently released by the Iraqis," he said, adding that it was just a "tactical" incident that was not anything particularly planned or organized.
According to media reports, Saadi Othman, an adviser to General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. troops in Iraq, described the incident as "regrettable."
Relations between the United States and Iran have been tense as the United States accuses Iran of seeking nuclear weapons and aiding the insurgents fighting against the U.S.-led multinational troops in Iraq. Iran has denied the charges.
Source: Xinhua
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