The first direct sign of the brewing diplomatic row between Nigeria and Iran occured on Monday as the Nigerian Football Federation postponed its friendly football match against Iran.



Although the NFF Acting Secretary -General, Mr. Musa Amadu, told the Associated Press that the “non-availability of our key players,” was responsible for the development, a source in the NFF Glass House headquarters told THE PUNCH that it had “to do with the seized arms and ammunition at the Apapa port in Lagos.”

“We cannot go ahead with the match in view of the misunderstanding between our country and Iran over the weapons that were seized by intelligence agencies in Lagos port. We have to show understanding by postponing the match,” the source added.

They, however, did not say when the match would now be played. When pressed further on why the federation took the decision, the NFF chief replied, “You are free to speculate.”

The postponement of the match comes days after Nigeria said it would take action against Iran if its investigation showed it violated international law.

The arms and ammunition concealed in 13 containers were shipped from Iran to Nigeria. Two Iranians believed to be the importers are reported to be hiding in the Iranian Embassy in Abuja.

Reuters quoted diplomatic and security sources on Monday as saying that the suspects were senior members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.

But as indications emerged in New York, United States that the United Nations Security Council might investigate Iran’s alleged involvement in weapons sales, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manouchehr Mottaki, said the oil- rich country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hussein Abdullah, had been recalled.

Mottaki, at a press conference in Tehran, said a new envoy whose name he did not give, had been posted to Nigeria.

He also did not state the reason for Abdullah’s recall but said that the ‘misunderstandings’ between Iran and Nigeria had been solved.

“I think the misunderstandings have been settled in this field,” Mottaki said, adding that they were created by ‘enemies’ to damage Iran-Nigeria ties.

In late October, Abdullahi had said there was no clear evidence linking Iran to the weapons shipment.

The Iranian news agency, IRNA, also quoted the minister as saying on Monday that the two Iranians implicated in the importation of the arms and ammunition had given necessary information to Nigerian investigators.

Mottaki said, “The Iranian national working for the private company involved in the issue has provided Nigerian officials with necessary explanations and I believe the existing misunderstandings about the issue were now removed.”

The minister also explained that his trip to Nigeria on Friday was ‘a short working visit’ made in line with his four-nation tour of West Africa.

He also confirmed that he discussed the issue of the seized weapons with his Nigerian counterpart, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), whom he said would soon visit Tehran.

The minister, however, insisted the consignment was actually bound for an unnamed West African country.

“The seized cargo belonged to a private company and it was for sale legitimately to a West African country,” he added , without naming the country.

Although there had been reports that the weapons were heading to The Gambia, the State Security Service claimed that they were ordered by some politicians to destabilise Nigeria if they failed in the 2011 general elections.

When contacted on Mottaki’s claim that the misunderstanding between the two countries had been resolved, the spokesman of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ozo Nwobu, said investigations into the matter had not been concluded.

He said, “To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing different from what our minister ( Mr. Odein Ajumogobia ) said at the weekend. The matter is still being investigated.

“If at the end of our investigations we find that international law has been breached by any foreign country, Nigeria will take appropriate steps.”

A United States-based Nigerian news agency, Empowered Newswire, reported on Monday that the Security Council had set up an eight-member expert committee to find out if Iran had breached its resolution on the sale of arms.

The committee headed by Ms. Salomé Zourabichvili of France has a Nigerian, Maj.-Gen. Ishola Williams, as a member.

Empowered Newswire said although the panel would examine all the issues on the arms embargo on Iran, the shipment to Nigeria might have compelled its establishment.

The agency added that the US had also indicated interest in assisting Nigeria to investigate the matter.

“If these reports are true, these are potential violations of Security Council resolutions; we will obviously encourage and assist Nigeria in any way that we can with its investigation,” the State Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley. said.

Ajumogobia had said on Friday that he would report Iran to the Security Council if it found any evidence that the shipment broke UN sanctions imposed over its refusal to halt sensitive nuclear activities.

He is expected to address the Security Council on Tuesday (today) on Sudan and might also be meeting with other diplomats on the Iranian shipment issue.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011163383190

Now, this is what we're talking about!
Next : Death to Iran and Ahmadinajad rally!
Wondering how it feels to receive the sh.i.t you've been dishing out!

@na2day!:


[size=13pt]Reuters quoted diplomatic and security sources on Monday as saying that the suspects were senior members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.[/size]

QUDS FORCE!

Can NFF get another team to play instead. Had no business dealin with the devils in the first place.

BTW, who were the weapons meant for?

That country does not deserve any respect and regards, a country that goes arround arming militants group should not expect nothin less, good radiance to bad rubbish!

Wonderful, I was actually wondering. Afterall Iran is not that a football country

At last! we are recovering our long lost spine

We have no business playing a friendly football match with a country willing to ship deadly weapons illegally into our own backyard.

Now that we have called Iran bluff we need to police our boarders even strickter.

After proper investigation and Iran is found guilty, nigeria and US will nuke those bunch of idiots and wipe them away. BTW, can some1 tell that IBB(Independence Bomb Blast) doesn't know anything about that ?

@na2day!:

At last! we are recovering our long lost spine

At least one refreshing news from Nigeria.

Now they are talking.
I have also noticed the investigation so far has been one-sided, nobody is talking about the owners of the shipment. The SSS will ve to be thorough in its investigation and not rely on hear-say from any quarter or speculations such as those from Isreali news agencies that had hitherto been fed to the public. Perhaps, now that they ve the two Iranian suspects in their custody, they could actually get them tell Nigerian public the names of the "so-call'd" nigerian politicians that had orded for such weapons. This is very important if this country wishes to stay together. .

^^^^^

I don't believe SSS have the Iranians in their custody. The Iranian Embassy have the two Iranians involved in their Embassy but only granted us access into speak to one claiming the other has diplomatic immunity.

However SSS do have the Nigerian involved in this shipment in their custody and all information as to the destination of the weapons can be extracted from him.

I do not think we should loose sleep over the Origin of the weapon in Iran. That investigation can be conducted through the UN security council and all we need to do is report this matter to the appropriate chanel. I trust the FBI to share findings with us as to who in Iran is pulling the strings. Although it is pretty much clear that elements in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are responsible.

There is only a lot we can do and I think our Government is doing just fine. I expect the climax of Nigerian crisis with Iran to be breaking diplomatic ties and nothing more than that. But at this stage calling off the friendlies, reporting Iran to the UN security Council and seizing the weapons based on International laws is enough.

If Iran chooses to display blind arrogance by recalling their ambassador to Nigeria then we will respond by recalling our ambassador to Iran.

I don't see how this news is great, things like this should be taken for granted. The NFF sec-gen is even reluctant to admit it was as a result of the seized arms! Who the hell is he afraid of? Nigeria has to take stronger action against Iran, like threatening to completely sever our ties with Iran. . . Ah! I miss Obasanjo!

I know NFF definatly cancel the friendlys.
The safety our players is very important.

dplordx:

Our government has completely gone bonkers. I was hoping America, Canada, and the UK could as well sanction us for the millions their citizens lose to Nigeria through fraud yearly. The Iranian government cant be blamed because year in year out, a lot of ammunition come from SA via MM2 to those MEND boys. Why is this been treated like something special?

If you have information on any other country shipping arms into Nigeria please kindly pass the information with your facts to the relevant authorities.

Iran was caught sending weapons illegally into our territory and there must be consequences.

That it happens before does not mean we can not start from somewhere to deal with the problem

Just as somebody mentioned earlier, if Nigeria found Iran guilty, they should call off our diplomatic ties with them. This is not de situation of dining wit de devil wit a long spoon. I even now regret why America didn't allow Iraq to wipe them out during their War.

The Arab fear of African power is as old as the 633 AD Arab invasion of Egypt by Gen El Has. Since then, they've done their darndest to dismantle African civilization wherever they've found it. Ancient Ghana, Mali, Songhai, the Hausa States, all were destabilized, attacked, and ultimately destroyed by Arab hordes and/or their mullato descendants.

The Sudan conflict is a modern continuation of the old African resistance to Arab invaders from the north. Like Egypt itself, all of Sudan - north and south - was once all-black. Now the north is peopled by Arab descendants with the blacks pushed southwards, as they've been continually pushed for the last few thousand years by desertification of the once fertile Sahara, and by foreign invaders.

The modern situation with Iran's arms shipments to Nigeria, with an obvious intent to destabilize the nation, should be seen in the light of history, and dealt with accordingly.

dplordx:

Our government has completely gone bonkers. I was hoping America, Canada, and the UK could as well sanction us for the millions their citizens lose to Nigeria through fraud yearly. The Iranian government cant be blamed because year in year out, a lot of ammunition come from SA via MM2 to those MEND boys. Why is this been treated like something special?

Na who dem catch be Thief

mikeansy:

We have no business playing a friendly football match with a country willing to ship deadly weapons illegally into our own backyard.

Now that we have called Iran bluff we need to police our boarders even strickter.

Good decision let them(Iran) F U C K off. Demonic generations!!!!!

slyopez:

After proper investigation and Iran is found guilty, nigeria and US WILL NUKE THOSE BUNCH OF IDIOTS AND WIPE THEM AWAY.

that would only multiply the problem fifty fold. And why would d US bomb iran over arms shipped to nigeria? Its not US's business na

I wish it was Obj as Presido

bisiaet:

Good decision let them(Iran) F U C K off. Demonic generations!!!!!

No, its rather axis of evil!

What has obj got 2do with this? Are u refering 2d same1 that declared war on ODI (internal issues) & partted away with BAKASI (external issues),which of the OBJ's r we talking abt here? Our leaders are all docile when it comes to issues with other countries but will deploy brute force for domestic issues. No sentiments, they are all d same,bt will get better someday. NAIJA 4LIFE

The same america and fbi you guys are eulogizing have all shipped weapons to dissidents in the past and they are still doing so. Better countries have played soccer with iran before so who the hell is Nigeria. Politics and soccer are not to be mixed. Bush or obama is worse than ahmedinejad. The guy is now a rogue since he refused to play ball with the americans.

Where is Jack Bauer when you need him?

semid4lyfe:

Where is Jack Bauer when you need him?

LOL! what is he expected to do?

nice

an iranian official,Amir Al-Mousawi, speaking on aljazeera arabic,denied that the weapons were destined for Nigeria.he said the containers were on transit to another west african country.he said iran is not obliged by UN security council resolutions banning the country from exporting weapons.he also says that iran supplies not less than 50 countries with light arms like the ones confiscated in Lagos.he said there are members in the Nigerian givernment who want good relations with Iran and another faction that works against relations with Iran.he further stated that Iran is not intimidated by the UN security council.

LagosShia:

an iranian official,Amir Al-Mousawi, speaking on aljazeera arabic,denied that the weapons were destined for Nigeria.he said the containers were on transit to another west african country.he said iran is not obliged by UN security council resolutions banning the country from exporting weapons.he also says that iran supplies not less than 50 countries with light arms like the ones confiscated in Lagos.he said there are members in the Nigerian givernment who want good relations with Iran and another faction that works against relations with Iran.he further stated that Iran is not intimidated by the UN security council.

The official is a stupid fool, just like his boss!
grandstanding! they've bitten more than they can chew this time around!

can nigeria stand any chance if she is to settle this on a battle field