Iran denies backing Afghan militants

TEHRAN, April 6 (UPI) -- Washington should look for better ways to conduct itself in Afghanistan than pointing fingers at Iran, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul said.

Tehran through its embassy in Kabul denied accusations by U.S. officials that Iran was involved in supplying weapons to militants in Afghanistan.

Tehran lamented the "recurring allegations" presented by U.S. military officials, which the embassy said was an attempt to justify its defeat in Afghanistan.

The embassy said Washington needs to "find more logical ways to fight terrorism rather than accusing others" of supplying weapons to Afghan militants, Iran's state-funded broadcaster Press TV reports.

"Iran always supports the nation and the government of Afghanistan," the embassy statement added.

U.S. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters in Afghanistan that he was struck by the "significant shipment" of Iranian weapons into Kandahar province in southeastern Afghanistan, CNN reported.

Pentagon officials said there was information to suggest that Iranian-made weapons were streaming into Afghanistan.

Washington has made similar accusations regarding Iranian activity in Iraq. Tehran denies the charges.