Iran rejects allegations of shipping arms to Yemen

Tehran, Feb 12 (AP) Iran is rejecting accusations that weapons seized on a ship in Yemen last month and allegedly bound for Shiite insurgents there were exported from Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said today that reports on the ship and the weapons are "incorrect and a lie." On Saturday, Yemen's interior minister said that an investigation had determined that the Iranian-made missiles, rockets and other weapons confiscated on the vessel were loaded onto the ship in Iran and destined for Yemeni insurgents. Mehmanparast called the accusations "irresponsible" and said Iran respects the sovereignty and integrity of Yemen. He warned that such allegations could damage future cooperation. For years, Yemen has been fighting Shiite Muslim insurgents near the country's border with Saudi Arabia. Iran is the region's Shiite power. (AP) NKP NKP 02130055 NNNN