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Pompeo Accuses Iran of Becoming 'Home Base' for al-Qaida

VOA News

   U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Iran of becoming the
   new "home base" for al-Qaida.
   "Al-Qaida has a new home base. It is the Islamic Republic of Iran,"
   Pompeo said in a speech Tuesday at the National Press Club. "I would
   say Iran is indeed the new Afghanistan--as the key geographic hub for
   al-Qaida--but it's actually worse."
   During the speech, Pompeo also confirmed a New York Times report that
   al-Qaida's number two, Abu Muhammad al-Masri, was killed in Tehran last
   year. Some have speculated Israel carried out the attack, but Pompeo
   did not confirm that.
   Al-Masri is alleged to be the mastermind behind the 1998 bombings of
   two U.S. embassies in Africa.
   "Al-Masri's presence inside Iran points to the reason that we're here
   today ... al-Qaida has a new home base: It is the Islamic Republic of
   Iran," Pompeo said.
   Pompeo called for more international pressure on Tehran, saying a
   partnership between Iran and al-Qaida are a "massive force for evil all
   over the world."
   "Unlike in Afghanistan, when al-Qaida was hiding in the mountains,
   al-Qaida today is operating under the hard shell of the Iranian
   regime's protection," Pompeo said.
   During the speech, Pompeo announced a $7-million reward for information
   about Muhammad Abbatay, also known as Abd al-Rahman al-Maghrebi, who
   Pompeo said was believed to be in Iran.
   Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called Pompeo's
   statements "fictitious" in a tweet.

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