By IANS,
Washington : US State Secretary Hillary Clinton Wednesday vowed to hold Iran accountable for its alleged involvement in a “terror plot” to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Xinhua reported.
This plot was “a flagrant violation of international and US law and a dangerous escalation of the Iranian government’s long-standing use of political violence and sponsorship of terrorism,” Clinton said during an event organised by the Centre for American Progress.
“This kind of reckless act undermines international norms and the international system,” she said. “Iran must be held accountable for its actions.”
Clinton’s tough-worded remarks came after two men were charged by the US Justice Department Tuesday for their alleged participation in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US.
The two suspects are Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year- old naturalised US citizen holding both Iranian and US passports, and Iranian Gholam Shakuri.
Clinton pledged to work closely with international partners to “increase Iran’s isolation and the pressure on its government,” urging other nations to join the US in condemning this plot.
She also noted that the US has increased sanctions on individuals within the Iranian government who are believed to be tied to this plot.
Clinton was referring to Tuesday’s announcement by the US Treasury Department to slap sanctions on five individuals, including four senior officers from the Quds Force, an elite division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps responsible for foreign operations.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi Wednesday strongly rejected the US accusations.