Obama: Evidence Points to Iran as Responsible for Alleged Plot

President Obama said that evidence collected shows that Iran is responsible for an alleged attempt on the life of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States. The president vowed sanctions and international pressure as a result of Iran's actions, according to ABC News. "We're going to continue... to mobilize the international community to make sure that Iran is further and further isolated and pays a price for this kind of behavior," Obama said.

The president dismissed the skepticism against the matter, saying that Iran's government did instruct an Iranian-American car salesman, Manssor Arbabsiar, to engage with a Mexican drug cartel to kill the ambassador, according to NYTimes.com. He insisted that the United States “know that he had direct links, was paid by, and directed by individuals in the Iranian government.” 

“We would not be bringing forward a case unless we knew exactly how to support all the allegations that are contained in the indictment,” Obama said.

Officials at the US State Department said they have contacted Iran on the incident, but provided no details on the nature of the discussions, according to CNN. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused the West of trying to propagate "Iranophobia", while the Iranian Government said that the allegations were ludicrous. The state-run media was filled with rejections of the charges, according to NYTimes.com. 

The White House has not released plans of any planned sanctions as of this time. However, officials from the treasury department indicated that further sanctions could be passed on the Central Bank of Iran, according to CNN. "We don't take any options off the table," Obama said. 

Obama declined to say whether he believes the highest level of the Iranian government was involved in the planning of the alleged plot. However, he noted that even if Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or the Ayatollah did not have knowledge of it, that someone must claim responsibility. "There has to be accountability with respect to anybody in the Iranian government engaging in this kind of activity," he said.

Thumbnail photo by The US Army.