US doubts Iran has ‘benign’ intentions for Gaza

AFP: The United States on Monday questioned the Iranian Red Crescent’s decision to send aid ships to Gaza, saying Tehran’s intentions toward the Palestinian territory were not “benign.”

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States on Monday questioned the Iranian Red Crescent’s decision to send aid ships to Gaza, saying Tehran’s intentions toward the Palestinian territory were not “benign.”

“I don’t think that Iran’s intentions vis-a-vis Gaza are benign,” said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.

“We certainly are looking ourselves at trying to find ways of increasing the amount of assistance that goes to the people of Gaza,” he said.

The Iranian Red Crescent announced Monday it would send three ships with humanitarian aid to Gaza, in the latest bid to break the blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory by Iran’s arch foe Israel.

Since Israel’s May 31 commando raid on an aid flotilla that killed nine people, the United States has been trying reconcile sending more humanitarian aid for Gaza with Israel’s determination to defend itself from the Hamas movement running the territory.

Crowley said the United States was discussing “a number of different ideas” on the subject with the European Union, United Nations and Israel.

“I’m not willing to sharing those ideas at this point,” he quickly added.