Ten Iranian agents were arrested during a raid on a local mosque in Falluja following attacks by coalition forces. News of the arrests came at a press conference by the heads of the multinational and Iraqi forces in Falluja. The mosque had been housing at least 300 militants with 110 of them confirmed to be foreign nationals. The latest arrests follow a string of reports blaming Iran's religious regime of backing insurgencies in an attempt to halt the democratic process in Iraq.The head of security in Soleimaniya (northern Iraq), Brigadier General Sarkout Hassan Jalal, said earlier this week, "Paramilitary forces secretly bring fresh forces from Iran into Iraq, and then take them to Falluja and other places." The Al-Sabah daily wrote on Nov. 8, "Iraqi National Guard forces arrested eight Iranians as they were blowing up food storages and other centers in Kut. After preliminary interrogations of those arrested, it became clear that they were blowing up a storage room where election ballots were stored. Voters will receive one of these cards to participate in the upcoming elections by showing their birth certificate."
Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi urged the European Union to use its influence over Iran to stop them from "fuelling violence" in his country. Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar also accused Iran of orchestrating attacks in Iraq. "Iran is playing a negative role in Iraq. It is behind the assassination of more than 18 Iraqi intelligence officers. It is also playing a negative role in southern Iraq," Yawar told Kuwait's Al-Qabas newspaper.