Iran denies harboring de facto al-Qaeda leader
After years of accusations it offered a safe haven to al-Qaeda members, Iran has dismissed a new UN report on the presence of the extremist group's de facto leader on its soil.
TEHRAN — Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York on Wednesday rejected a report by the world body's experts that has said de facto al-Qaeda leader Saif al-Adl is currently based in Iran.
"It is worth noting that the address for the so-called newly appointed al-Qaeda leader is incorrect," the Iranian mission announced on Twitter.
Casting the UN report as "misinformation," the mission said on Twitter it could "potentially hinder efforts to combat terrorism." According to the Iranian mission, al-Qaeda as a global network was dismantled following the 2011 death of its leader Osama bin Laden.
The UN report, released on Monday, relied on findings by many member states and described Adl's "presence in the Islamic Republic of Iran" as a "fact."
