U.S. delays Iraq report on Iranian weapons

BAGHDAD, May 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. military Wednesday delayed the release of a dossier alleging Iranian funding, supply and training of Iraqi insurgents, sources said.

The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, citing anonymous sources, said U.S. officials turned the evidence over to the Iraqi government, which in turn is pressuring Tehran to abide by its pledges of non-interference.

The sources told the Journal the classified report includes photographs of Iranian-made weapons and interrogation records from detained Shiite fighters who claim they were trained in Tehran by Lebanese Hezbollah.

U.S. officials said they delayed releasing the report for "lots of reasons." U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll did say the report would be made public at some point, however.

"The timing of the brief ... on Iranian interference has yet to be nailed down, but we anticipate briefing sometime in the future," Driscoll said.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh was ambivalent on the report, saying, "We want to limit the Iranian interference, and we can't deny its existence."

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen testified before Congress Tuesday that the "irresponsible actions" of Iran "directly jeopardize" stability in Iraq.