Iran denied the report, saying there were no al Qaeda “terrorists” on its soil. MORE SANCTIONSPompeo has accused Iran of links to al Qaeda in the past but has not provided concrete evidence. “There have been times the Iranians have worked alongside al Qaeda,” then CIA director Pompeo said in October 2017. But reports have surfaced over the years of al Qaeda operatives hiding out in Iran. Shi’ite Iran and al Qaeda, a Sunni Muslim militant organization, have long been sectarian foes.

Source: Egypt Independent January 12, 2021 08:15 UTC