TOLOnews.com, March 10, 2011

Iranian weapons en route to Taliban have been seized by International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in the border city of Nimroz.

The weapons include 48 rockets with a range of 20 kilometers, officials have said.

The seized rockets reportedly double the usual range of the rockets used by the Taliban.



The seized rockets reportedly double the usual range of the rockets used by the Taliban. (Photo: TOLOnews.com) The seized rockets reportedly double the usual range of the rockets used by the Taliban. (Photo: TOLOnews.com)

British foreign secretary, William Hague has criticised the Iranians for trying to aid the insurgency in Afghanistan.

"I am extremely concerned by the latest evidence that Iran continues to supply the Taliban with weaponry," Mr Hague said on Wednesday.

Mr Hague believes the weapons were "clearly intended" to make the Taliban capable of targeting Afghan and Isaf forces from significant range.

British Foreign Ministry has called the shipments "unacceptable" adding that it is not the behaviour of a responsible neighbour.

The Ministry sees the shipments at odds with Iran's claim that it supports stability and security.

Iran has not yet commented on the seizure of weapons, but the country's officials usually deny allegations of Iranian support to insurgents in Afghanistan.

Iranian Interior Minister Mustafa Mohammad Najjar, at a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday,denied all reports accusing his country of supporting insurgents in Afghanistan.

Iran has often been accused of supporting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan and even running training camps for Afghan insurgents on the Iranian soil, but the Afghan Interior Minister, Besmillah Mohammadi, recently said Afghanistan has no evidence proving Iran's involvement in the insurgency.