Written question asked by Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Triesman (Labour) on Thursday, 1 March 2007.

Iraq: Smuggling of Explosives

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Government of Iraq have provided the Government with an update on their initiatives to press Iran to cut off links with armed groups operating in Iraq, and to improve border security to help to stem the smuggling of improvised explosive devices.

Answer: The multinational force in Iraq co-operates closely with the Iraqi security forces in their efforts to stem the flow of weapons entering the country. On 15 February 2007, the Government of Iraq closed their border crossing points with Iran. This pause in operations was used to improve search facilities and crossing procedures at six of these crossing points, all of which have now reopened. The remaining crossing points will be closed indefinitely. In parallel, the Government of Iraq has engaged politically with the Iranian Government, to urge Iran to help to prevent the smuggling of material that might be used to attack Iraqi or multinational forces.

Secondary information