US accuses Iran of secret deal with Qaeda

The Obama administration accused Iran late Thursday of entering into a “secret deal” with an al-Qaeda offshoot that provides money and recruits for attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Treasury Department designated six members of the unit as terrorists subject to US sanctions.

The US intelligence community has in the past disagreed about the extent of direct links between the Iranian government and al-Qaeda. Thursday’s allegations

went further than what most analysts had previously said was a murky relationship with limited cooperation.

David S Cohen, Treasury’s point man for terrorism and financial intelligence, said Iran entered a “secret deal with al-Qaeda allowing it to funnel funds and operatives through its territory.’’ He didn’t provide any details, but said the sanctions seek to disrupt al-Qaeda’s work in Iraq and deny the terrorist group’s leadership much-needed support.