Iran said Wednesday it won't allow the United States to interrogate top al-Qaeda members in Iranian custody.
"No," was President Mohammad Khatami's answer when reporters asked if Tehran would allow US investigators access.
A day earlier while on a visit to Australia, Deputy US Secretary of State Richard Armitage told reporters Washington wanted to talk to al-Qaeda suspects in the Islamic Republic.
"We know that Iran, to her own admission, is holding a certain number of al-Qaeda," Armitage said.
"Some of them we believe to be quite high level. We'd like to get access to them and interrogate them to try to head off whatever plans they've already got in the works."
Khatami said Iran was ready to hand over Saudi al-Qaeda detainees to Saudi Arabia. "If their nationality is Saudi, we have no problem handing them over. We have no problem cooperating with Saudi Arabia," AP cited Khatami as telling reporters following a Cabinet meeting. (Albawaba.com)
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