Ankara says U.S. intel on PKK not shared

ANKARA, Turkey, June 21 (UPI) -- Ankara gave assurances to Washington it was not sharing U.S. intelligence with Iran regarding military operations targeting Kurdish separatist groups.

Turkish officials acknowledged they are cooperating with Iran in intelligence matters concerning the activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK, and the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan, PJAK, in northern Iraq.

The admission by Ankara has some officials in Washington worried, however, in part due to the ongoing dispute with Tehran regarding activity in Iraqi affairs and the contentious Iranian nuclear program.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, however, recently told U.S. officials Ankara was not sharing U.S. intelligence with Iranian agents, the Turkish Today's Zaman reported Friday.

U.S. officials preconditioned sharing intelligence with Turkey with promises from Ankara not to share the information with foreign countries.

"The U.S. intelligence supply to Turkey is also restricted to northern Iraq. The U.S. supplies Turkey with intelligence information on the PKK not for Iran, but for northern Iraq," U.S. officials told the Turkish newspaper.