The police commander in the southern Iraqi city of Basra indicated that a roadside bomb that killed four British soldiers yesterday may have been Iranian, the Associated Press reported.
The type of bomb used had not been seen in southern Iraq before, Major-General Mohammed al-Moussawi said. His description matched that of an Iranian-designed explosive that the U.S. military has accused Iran of supplying to Shiite Muslim militias, AP said. Al-Moussawi said two other similar bombs were discovered in Basra yesterday.
Yesterday, U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said the killing of the four soldiers was an “act of terrorism,” and while he didn’t accuse Iran directly, he said “this is maybe the right moment to reflect on our relationship with Iran.” Iran yesterday released 15 British sailors and marines it had been holding for two weeks.