MNA � Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has voiced her country's shock at Brian Hook's recent unfounded allegations that Iran had been involved in the death of 600 US troops in Iraq.







"We were surprised to read the statement by US State Department Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, in which he claims that Iran is involved in the death of six hundred US troops in Iraq. We haven�t heard of any clashes between Americans and Iranians on the territory of Iraq, so our Washington colleagues have to explain what exactly they mean by Tehran's involvement," TASS quoted the diplomat as pointing�out during a briefing on Thursday.

"We understand that anti-Iranian sentiment is through the roof in Washington, but there have to be some grounds to make these kinds of statements. You have to hold responsibility for what you have said. There is an impression that the US is thinking up another excuse to explain the escalation of relations with Iran if they deem it appropriate."

"We would like to warn against such steps, they may lead to catastrophic consequences for the stability of the whole Middle East, which is in disarray even now," the spokeswoman added.

The diplomat also raised the issue of the US� invasion of Iraq in 2003. "As a result of the American occupation, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi residents were killed, although there is no exact figure, no one kept track of the civilian population killed there," Zakharova reminded.

She stressed that the war in Iraq remains a blatant violation of international law and a criminal act. "We recommend the US not to look for excuses to start new conflicts, multiplying the suffering around the world with their aggressive policy," the diplomat concluded.