Britain's defense minister says Iran might be smuggling explosives to Iraqraq

British forces stationed in southern Iraq are concerned that improvised explosive devices being used against them by foreign terrorists and Iraqi Baathists might be coming there from Iran, Britain's senior defense official says.

John Reid, British secretary of state for defense, told journalists at a Pentagon briefing November 7 that officials believe the nature of devices being used against British troops in the Basra region "bear the hallmark of groups like Hizballah and may well be connected with elements within Iran."

The Iranian regime is known to be a sponsor of Hizballah in its long campaign of terrorist attacks against Israel from Lebanon.

The British do not have evidence of a transfer of such explosives being backed by the Iranian government, Reid said, but they have "made representations" to the Iranian government.