Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that the terrorist attacks in Mumbai were staged by countries "outside the region" - but did not specify to which countries he was referring. "These savage terrorist attacks which killed so many innocent people were staged by (elements) from outside the region as regional people would never do such a thing," Ahmadinejad said in a live interview with state television IRIB.
Ahmadinejad did not elaborate on which elements he thought were behind the attacks. Ahmadinejad is noted for his espousal of conspiracy theories involving the US and Israel.
"My theory is that the long-time strategy behind the policies implemented in Afghanistan and Pakistan are (weakening) India and China," the Iranian president said.
The Iranian foreign ministry condemned last Thursday the attacks in Mumbai, and said Tehran was opposed to any form of terrorism and would cooperate in fighting these "evil acts."
