Iran to help in Delhi bomb investigation

Tehran is likely to provide information this week about three Iranians suspected of being involved in the February 13 bombing of an Israeli diplomat's car in Indian capital New Delhi, helping investigators determine whether the attack came from a rogue Iranian cell or an official intelligence agency from Iran. India has sought information about passport details and other information about Houshang Afshar Irani, Syed Ali Mahdiansadr, Mohammadreza Abolghasemi and Masoud Sedaghatzadeh. Barring Sedaghatzadeh who has been detained by the Malaysian police, Interpol lookout notices have been issued for the other three. Tehran had informed India's ministry of external affairs, which is handling this issue, that “both sides are interested in collaboration'' but information could not be provided immediately because Iran had gone into its Navroz (New Year) celebrations and is emerging out of it this week. Information from Iran is likely to throw light on whether the hit was a set-up job by other intelligence agencies to frame Iran or retaliation by the Iranian intelligence agencies for similar assassinations of four of its scientists. Iran denies it would do such a thing in India especially when New Delhi is making strenuous efforts, despite disapproval by the US and some European countries, to develop new methods to pay for Iranian oil. “It is not in the character of Iranian policy to do this. If it is so, why select India? Iran could have selected some other country. In my view this is a pre-planned attack intended to accuse Iran and tell India that its investigators are not doing enough and outside expertise must be taken. As part of this policy, they will try consulting India on its security,'' sources said, while suggesting that the possibility of a rogue Iranian cell having carried out the hit was high because “many Iranians are against the Government in Tehran.'' “Four scientists in the energy sector of Iran have been killed in Iran itself by magnetic bombs of the kind used here. India should verify much more so that this incident does not affect ties,'' they added. On the other hand, Israel claims India has considerable evidence of Iran's involvement in the attack but has not released much of it till the case is fully solved. After a large business delegation visited Tehran, India has agreed to host an Iranian team this month. “The Indian delegation discovered that to be successful, they will also have to import. A delegation from the Iran Chamber of Commerce will visit Mumbai and Delhi to interact with their counterparts, especially those who had gone to Iran,'' said government sources here. In addition, India has invited three Iranian banks to open their branches here in order to conduct direct trade. While one bank is reported to be serious in its intentions, another is making slow progress while the third is yet to approach the authorities with complete documentation. Any indication of the Iranian government's involvement in trying to settle scores with the Israelis on Indian soil would be a big setback to efforts to promote Iran-India non-oil trade to sidestep immense pressure by the US on financial entities conducting trade with Tehran.