Iranian embassy condemns George Casey's remarks against Iran

The Iranian mission in Baghdad strongly rejected the allegations raised by the US forces' former commander in Iraq about Tehran's involvement in the 2007 attack on the al-Askari shrines, cautioning that George Casey's claim is aimed at projecting the blame on others. "The Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy in Baghdad considers the remarks by General George Casey about Iran's involvement in the blasts in the al-Askari shrines as a projection (of responsibility and blame) and an unfounded accusation against others to exonerate themselves from their own improper acts and it denies this accusation," the Iranian mission in Baghdad said in a statement on Sunday. Casey has been quoted by some websites as alleging that Iran has been involved in bombing the holy shrine of Imam Askari in Samara in 2007. His accusations against Iran incited Iraqi protestors and some government opposition forces to stage rallies in the country. Casey's claim came as Shiite Iran and majority-Shiite Iraq have enjoyed growing ties ever since the overthrow of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, during the 2003 US invasion of the Muslim country. Both sides are working on a series of plans to take wide strides in expanding their ties, in economic fields in particular.