Iraq blocks N. Korean plane on suspicion of Syria weapon cargo

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iraq said on Friday, Sept 21, it has denied permission to a North Korean plane bound for Syria to pass through Iraqi airspace on suspicion it could be carrying weapons, and the United States stressed the need to prevent any such arms transfers, according to Reuters.

Iraq has also denied a Western intelligence report that Iranian aircraft had flown weapons and military personnel over Iraqi airspace to help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his 18-month-old fight against rebels seeking to end his rule.

U.S. officials said earlier this month they were questioning Iraq about Iranian flights in Iraqi air space. On Wednesday, U.S. Senator John Kerry threatened to review U.S. aid to Baghdad if it does not halt such overflights to Syria.

"Continuing the Iraqi government policy to investigate the passing of weapons to Syria through Iraqi land and air space, the Iraqi authorities prevented a North Korean plane from going to Syria, after they suspected that the plane was shipping weapons," Ali al-Moussawi, media advisor to the Iraq's prime minister, told Reuters.

Moussawi said the scheduled North Korean plane's itinerary, which was due to travel to Syria on Saturday, had aroused Iraqi suspicions but that there had been no contact between Baghdad and North Korea on the issue.

He said that despite repeated requests from the Iraqi side, the United States had not presented any evidence that Iranian civilian aircraft were shipping arms to Syria via Iraq.

"We have told the Iranians that we could search their planes any time, randomly, and whenever we get any evidence (that they are shipping weapons)," he said. "We will seriously stop these plans (from passing through Iraqi space)," he added.