Iran denies Al Sadr is in Iran

Tehran: Iran formally denied for the first time on Sunday claims by Iraqi and US officials that radial Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr is in the Islamic republic.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said, "Moqtada Al Sadr is not in Iran," adding, "this is part of the propaganda and psychological warfare led by the United States in Iraq to impose pressure on Iran and it has no basis."

Iraqi government and US officials have said that the cleric, leader of the Mahdi Army Shiite militia and a powerful political movement, left for Tehran last month ahead of a renewed security operation.

The Iranian government has up until now condemned the US claims as a provocation, but not explicitly confirmed or denied whether Al Sadr was on its territory.