Rumsfeld comments on Iranian involvement in Iraq

(15 Mar 2006) 1. US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace walk to podium 2. SOUNDBITE: (English) General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Q: What you have not said conclusively is whether the government of Iran and the mullahs are sponsoring that activity. Do you have proof that they are indeed behind this, the government of Iran? "I do not sir." 3. Cutaway photographers 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence: "As to equipment, unless you physically see it coming in in a government sponsored vehicle or with government sponsored troops, you cannot know it. All you know is that you find equipment; weapons, explosives whatsoever that came into the country from a neighbouring country. With respect to people, it is very difficult to tie a thread precisely to the people of Iran." 5. Cutaway cameras 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence: "If on the other hand, you have evidence, intelligence, or physical evidence that Revolutionary Guard or Quds Force people are in Iraq, it is entirely possible they're rogue elements and they are just there on their own or they are just pilgrims, not likely. And in this case, there has been evidence that Quds Force Revolutionary Guard people have been and or are in Iraq. And a reasonable man would suggest that they are not freelancing and they are not pilgrims." 7. Wide shot of Rumsfeld and Pace STORYLINE: The Iranian government is backing efforts by members of its Republican Guard to incite violence in Iraq, according to US US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld made the claim on Tuesday at a press conference at the Pentagon with General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but said proving it was difficult. "As to equipment, unless you physically see it coming in in a government sponsored vehicle or with government sponsored troops, you cannot know it. All you know is that you find equipment; weapons, explosives whatsoever that came into the country from a neighbouring country," he said. Rumsfeld said it was also difficult to draw a direct line to the Iranian government, and that a reasonable man would deduce that members of the guard "are not freelancing" and are not pilgrims travelling to holy sites in Iraq. When Pace was asked for proof that the Iranian government was sponsoring such activity, he said he did not have any. Rumsfeld's comments expanded on his recent accusations that the Al Quds Division of Iran's Revolutionary Guard were trying to stir up trouble in Iraq by helping to move explosives and bomb-making material across the border from Iran. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...