The Jordanian-born militant's group is believed to be leading a brutal campaign of hostage-takings, beheadings and bombings that victimize both Americans and Iraqis. U.S. officials have offered a $25 million bounty for al-Zarqawi.

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Iran and Syria have rejected U.S. and Iraqi claims they are supporting insurgents in Iraq. Damascus, however, has said it is unable to fully close its long, porous border with Iraq.

With his comments, Shaalan may have been looking toward next month's polls, the first to be held since Saddam's capture a year ago. A leading coalition of Shiite parties called the United Iraqi Alliance, some with close ties to Iran, is expected to do well in the vote and Shaalan may be trying to stir up sentiment against it.

Shaalan took a swipe at an architect of the 228-member alliance and leading member, nuclear physicist Hussain al-Shahristani, describing him as the "leader of an Iranian list" that wants to Iraq to be run similar to its Shiite-dominated neighbor.

Wednesday is the official opening of the campaign period for the vote and the cutoff day for parties or independents to lodge registrations to stand in the elections. Shaalan is running on a separate list not affiliated with the alliance.  Read More...

This recent report of Iran's support of terrorism and insurgency in Iraq has been known for some time now. Back on Nov 8 WorldNetDaily reported that Iran is covertly supporting al-Qaida-aligned terrorists in Iraq, not just anti-American Shiite insurgents, U.S. defense and intelligence sources say with certainty:

The acknowledgment of the long-held suspicion as certainty raises the stakes in Iraq and the Persian Gulf as President Bush begins his second term and Iran, with its nuclear aspirations, moves to the front burner as an international crisis in the making.

According to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, al-Qaida-linked terrorists have been observed moving supplies and new recruits from Iran to Iraq, say the sources. While it has long been known Iran was backing the uprising led by Moqtada al-Sadr in the southern Shiite region of Iraq, the Iranian ties to Sunni Islamist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a terrorist leader who has pledged his allegiance to Osama bin Laden, has not been certain.    Read More...

We all recall that President Bush has warned that any nation cooperating with al-Qaida would become an enemy of the U.S. In fact, in 2002, he singled out Iran for special attention.

(Iran) must be with us or against us in the war against terrorism and make no attempt to destabilize the interim Afghan government," he said. "Iran must be a contributor in the war against terror; our nation and our fight against terror will uphold the doctrine, either you're with us or against us; and any nation that thwarts our ability to rout terror out where it exists will be held to account, one way or the other. ... If they (Iranians) are trying - if they in any way, shape or form - try to destabilize the government (of Afghanistan), the coalition ... we'll deal with them, in diplomatic ways, initially."

U.S. officials in the Pentagon and intelligence services have been convinced for some time that Iran is actively undermining the occupation of Iraq - and doing so through direct collaboration with al-Qaida forces. This is an act of war against Iraq, and against the U.S. This is not an alarmist stance, it is simply recognizing the state of affairs that already exist.