Larijani: US should be accountable over Rigi

The Obama administration should address concerns raised after confessions made by Abdolmalek Rigi revealing Washington’s role in unrest inside Iran, the country’s Majlis speaker says.

“Rigi’s confessions clearly disclose a close association between Jundallah, the US and NATO,” Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said.

Abdolmalek Rigi, ringleader of the Pakistan-based terrorist group of Jundallah, was captured on Tuesday while on a flight from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan.

Speaking at Sunday’s open session, Larijani called on “the US president and his administration” to address Iran’s concerns on the issue.

Iran’s most wanted man on Thursday confessed to offers of unlimited support by the US spy agency, the CIA.

In a televised confession Rigi said that in a Dubai meeting with CIA agents, he was promised a military base anywhere near the Iranian border equipped with weaponry and training facilities.

Rigi reportedly was to meet a top US intelligence official in the US military base of Manas in Kyrgyzstan to work the details of the support US will provide for his group.

The terrorist leader emphasized that the US operatives insisted in their meetings with him that Iran is their primary focus in the region, even more important than al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

According to Rigi’s confessions CIA agents also explained to him that since a US military attack on Iran would be very difficult, they intend to support all anti-Iran groups that have the capability of waging war inside Iran and to destabilize the country.

In one of its deadliest attacks armed militants on March 25, 2006, shut down the Bam-Kerman highway in southeast Iran and opened fire on passing cars, killing 22 civilians and wounding six.

Jundallah claimed responsibility for the attack and provided some Arab TV channels with video footage of the brutal killing.

Militants of the Jundallah ring regularly cross over into Iran from their hideouts in neighboring Pakistan to harass, kidnap or attack civilians and police officers.

Sistan-Baluchestan has been the target of terrorist operations by the Pakistan-based terrorist organization, which is also suspected of being affiliated with al-Qaeda.

Citing US and Pakistani intelligence sources, ABC news in 2007, reported that the terrorist group “has been secretly encouraged and advised by American officials” to destabilize the government in Iran.

In another report in July, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh revealed that US congressional leaders secretly agreed last year to former president George W. Bush’s $400-million funding request for a major escalation in covert operations in Iran.

Under the ruling, the US can arm and fund terrorist groups such as the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) and Jundallah militants.