Donald Rumsfeld

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is accusing Iran of playing a negative and potentially destabilizing role in Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mr. Rumsfeld did not specifically discuss reports that Iran is training and equipping some 200 fighters opposed to Afghanistan's month-old interim government. The reports say the rebel fighters are under the command of warlords based in western Afghanistan.

However, Mr. Rumsfeld said he believes that Iran is lending support to forces that could destabilize Afghanistan's fledgling government. Iran has denied the reports, which have been published in various U.S. newspapers over the past week.

The reports say conservative Iranian leaders fear the presence of a pro-Western government in neighboring Afghanistan. Iran had also opposed the Taleban rulers who ran Afghanistan for five years before the U.S. anti-terrorist coalition toppled them at the end of 2001.

Some information for this report provided by AFP.

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