WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Top advisers to U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday played down the role of Iran in aiding insurgents in neighboring Afghanistan, saying information was conflicting and any threat appeared unsubstantial. Shi'ite Iran is not a comfortable ally of the hardline Sunni Taliban, but analysts say Tehran may be providing some support to tie down and irritate U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the U.S. commander of international forces in Afghanistan accused Iran of supporting the Taliban but said he had not seen the introduction of sophisticated Iranian military equipment of the kind that was sent to Iraq. "We get conflicting reports on that," Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, told a panel organized by a Washington think tank, when asked if Iran was supporting the insurgency. Holbrooke's senior defense advisor, Vikram Singh, said: "Certainly the Iranians have in the past provided some arms to some groups inside Afghanistan. I do not think it has been viewed from a defense perspective as a substantial effort or a substantial threat." Holbrooke said Tehran had a "legitimate role to play in the resolution of the Afghan issue." "They are a factor. And to pretend that they're not, as was often done in the past, doesn't make much sense," Holbrooke said, but added: "We don't have any direct contacts with them on this." Drug addiction is a major problem in Iran and Holbrooke said "those drugs are coming across the Afghan border and it is a major concern to them." (Reporting by Adam Entous; Editing by John O'Callaghan)
An Afghan policeman smiles while on duty at a checkpoint near the village of Pashad, Afghanistan's Kunar province August 12, 2009. REUTERS/Oleg Popov (AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT) ...
