Al-Qaeda is using Iran as safe haven, says State Department report
Nathan Sales, ambassador-at-large and the US coordinator for counterterrorism, describes Iran's connections to al-Qaeda as "no surprise."
In its annual report on terrorism, the US State Department accused Iran of providing a safe haven for senior members of al-Qaeda.
“When you see Iranian fingerprints on so many different terrorist groups around the world, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Iran would also have connections to al-Qaeda,” said Ambassador Nathan Sales, who leads the State Department's Counterterrorism Bureau.
Sales told reporters Wednesday that Iran has allowed al-Qaeda operatives to move freely within the country to facilitate the movement of fighters and money into neighboring countries.
“If Iran wants to rejoin the community of responsible nations, here is a start: Crack down on the terrorists that caused 9/11. Crack down on the terrorist proxies that foment violence around the world,” he added.
