Denial Came Quickly - After 12 Days

Jan 11, IRNA The US troops in Iraq attacked Iran's representative office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on Thursday morning.

Based on reliable sources, the American forces disarmed the guard of Iran's representative office around 5:00 am and then broke the door and entered into the building.

Upon entering the office, they arrested five employees, smashed the furniture and took away the detainees along with some computers and administrative documents to an unidentified destination without making any explanation.

BAGHDAD, Jan 23— An Iranian diplomat on Tuesday denied Arab media reports that the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad had been besieged by U.S. forces, saying witnesses had mistaken the heavy security provided for a visiting U.N. envoy for a raid.

The denial came quickly after Arab media, citing witnesses, reported that U.S. and Iraqi troops had entered the embassy building twice and helicopters were flying low over the area.

The U.S. military also denied that its forces were involved.

"We have confirmation that there are no U.S. troops involved in anything going on at the Iranian Embassy," the military said in an e-mailed statement.

Iranian diplomat Abbas Otri told The Associated Press that the top U.N. envoy in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, had visited the embassy earlier Tuesday and witnesses appeared to have thought his guards were a force carrying out a raid in the embassy.