Iran on Wednesday blamed Britain and the US for two blasts that killed at least nine people on Tuesday. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted by Iranian television as saying that "occupiers of Iraq" were behind the bombings in the southwestern city of Ahvaz. According to the report, he also ordered the country's foreign minister and intelligence minister to investigate the possibility that "foreign hands" carried out the bombings.
Britain has denied the charge.
This is not the first time, the Iranian authorities blame Britain in involvement in attacks in Ahvaz. In October 2005, six people were killed when bombs exploded in a shopping center in the town. Iran blamed the blasts on Iranian Arab extremists with ties to foreign governments, such as Britain. It should be noted that Ahvaz is close to the border with southern Iraq, where British soldiers are based.
