This is part of a drift to war with Iran. Now we have special forces action and sanctions...next a bombing campaign and then a full scale war. This is the lesson from Iraq and we are set on exactly the same trajectory.

But this time Bush only has 14 months and we only just have our head above the water in Iraq.

It is very disturbing that the SAS are on the front line as we will be sucked in too, just when we thought we were winding down our disastrous intervention.

If we are to avert disaster, the peace campaign needs to surge too.

Andrew Baisley, London,

I believe the issue would be much clearer if terrorism issues, nuclear issues, and human rights issues were not mingled purposely. Civilian nuclear issues are technical safety issues : the world cannot afford a second Tchernobyl. Iran must understand that a country failing on this civilian issue surely cannot pretend to be a regional leader, and surely cannot pretend to be left to pursue nuclear weapons. It might have been possible before Tchernobyl, but it's not anymore possible. Terrorism issues are dealt by SAS-like corps and Intelligence agencies. Human rights issues cannot be manipulated for covering up other previous actions. I don't believe any Women or Gay rights association or any humanitarian NGO will lobby for military action on the grounds that Iran beat women or hang gays unless it took genocide proportions. There'd be a lot of countries on the list.

Helbert, London, UK

Good comment, norman, but I think you miss the fundamental point. You cannot control the area and the oil with a negociation, with peace. You have to go there with the army, and take it from its owners.

It's really sad it costs so many lives, but if you want to control the oil for the next decades, you have no other options.

josu, spain,

Thanks to all of the SAS and our brave soldiers who risk their lives so that even those who prefer to hide their heads in the sand and fault everyone else can live in free and safe lands where they are safe to bitch and moan about everything they know so little about.

T. Kelly, Wheat Ridge, Colorado

How many of you posters who are chomping at the bit to attack Iran have tried to sign up for service in Iraq, or have your children sign up?
If you're not in either of these categories, why are you so anxious for other peoples' children to wound, get wounded, kill, or be killed? A war with Iran would make sitting ducks of the US and British soldiers there.

Why not read advice from experts who suggest negotiated verifiable solutions for the security of all? Too wimpy?

norman, Cleveland, OH, USA

Thanks to the Brits and the SAS. This is not Israel's war. This is not the US war. This is not the UK war. This is a struggle against a fascist ideology that would enslave the consciousness of the planet under a perverse abomination of religious doctrine. Until moderate elements (someone? anyone?) take a stand, the insanity will continue.

A. Nelson, Boston, MA

second try at this posting as it is being censored!!!...so if the SAS and US special forces are smart...I wonder why they are not at Saudi Arabia border or Jordan to stop the flow of suicide bombers and money and other insurgents? Why let our wonderful innocent Saudi's and Egyptian's allies who had nothing to do with 9/11 and middle east crisis off the hook and concentrate on Iran who actually helped with overthrow of Saddam and Taliban in afghanistan...Don't even get me started with Pakistan!!....All this is just pure non-sense act of sabotage to provoke the Iranians.

Jack, San Jose, ca

Pretty desperate to kick off another war ? Huh ?

Now we read of `recovered weapons, explosives and missiles`. So why no `Gottcha` videos 24/7 gleefully showing closeups of Iranian markings on said items, especially missiles ?

No videos means it never happened. Anything to build up a case, no matter how threadbare - false really - to kick off a war based on ` facts to fit around policy ` . Remember ? Same old, same old.

But, a trace of the story will remain in the sleeping public mind and when associated with the ongoing attempts to make the nuke WMD story stick, will help in the cobbling of the hodge podge mosaic of, once again, the lies launching a war.

This will be the beginning of the end of the present world order, but not as Messrs Brown, Cheney & Bush envisage.

Something ominous will come our way, but i cannot fathom its worst, as all i can feel is that Iraq was a mere prelude to what is to come, thanks to the firm of Messrs Brown, Cheney & Bush.

michael, brunswick, australia

Let's not get stuck on stupid, as an American officer said. We are winning. Is that so bad?

Preston , Greenwood Village, USA

First we handed over Iraq and Afghanistan to Iran on a platter. Now, we are having a second thought and want to weaken Iran through sanctions, if that does not work we would 'shock and awe' it. If nothing useful comes out of this policy at least we will be able to disrupt the oil supply of Europe and Japan for months. Do you think they will be happy? In the end we will only have Israel as a friend, they will be happy with us for fighting their wars.

masmanz, Boston, MA

The governments of Britain and America have been posturing and threatening Iran for some time despite the fact Iran is in compliance with International law whereas Britain and America are not.

Although the forward plans of the illuminati include WW III, the public are increasingly awake and increasingly against another fake war.

D. Stanley, Gourge, France

For so long, the world press mixed the revolutionary guards, with other pre 1979 Islamic Inquisition in Iran forces. The more the world press learns to differentiate between the Iranian people, and the fanatical Islamists, the better. Iran has basically been hijacked for almost 30 years by non-Iranians, and it is only now becoming clear, because of their nuke mad agendas.

Ali Mostofi, Bracknell,

This is stupid. Get out of Iraq as fast as possible. Do you like Iraq? Well, then you are going to love a war with Iran. These clashes will simply escalate to an all-out war with Iran one day.

Robert Petersen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Another British example of aggression, so soon after the devastation of Iraq and a provocation to full-scale warfare! How many more dead soldiers do you want, Mr Brown?

peter kirsch, cape town, south africa

The post Iraq planning was a disaster, all agree but the fact is that Iran is exploiting this for its political interests by funding and supplying the insurgents who are doing all the killing in Iraq. Iran, a theocracy, undermines prospects for peace in Iraq and meanwhile seeks nuclear capability for no possible reason other than to extend their influence. Iran could play a constructive role but currently they are only playing power politics and whatever the wrongs this in itself should not be encouraged.

Simon, London,

If you Brit's are so upset by the USA's "meddling" in Iraq, then why don't you have the sme feelings about Iran's attempt to "run" Iraq and turn it into a province of Iran?

It is amazing to see the British people turn from their former view of the world into the bystanders that too many Brits have become.

The Soviet Union was defeated by a strong united Britain allied with the free world. The threat the West faces today is more dangerous and threatening to the stability of the world that the Soviet's really ever were.

Buck up Britain! Find your former resolve. Don't let Islamic Faschism prevail!

Kris Murphy, Huntsville, Alabama, USA

Have we declared war on Iran? If not, why are we sending forces into their territory? Britain should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan as soon as possible and stop interfering in these countries. Have we not learned our lesson from a century of middle East colonialism and its sorry consequences?

Paul Amery, London,

If they have too much money ^^

Why not :p

NRW Chatter, , NRW

After the Royal Navy boat capture and hostage fiasco you can rest assured that no troops will be going anywhere near the Iranian border. That was the purpose of the Navy hostage situation to start with.

Grant, Scarsdale NY, USA

You forgot to mention that the Israelis are also involved in operations inside Iran according to Symour Hersh from the New Yorker magazine. These raids are meant to send a clear message to the Iranians- We are on to you big time and don't you forget it. Whoever decided to leak this information to the Sunday Times has done so with the full support of our allies. In case of an all out war with Iran , the public should not be surprised.

david, Tel Aviv, Israel

Special forces activities are normally secret, so it must have been deemed politicly appropriate to reveal something at this point.

The people who comment on this article who show acidic hatred of the US and UK (and presumably other nationalities in the coalition) should note that coalition, Iraqi security and noncombatant lives are being saved when the weapons smugglers are caught. Stop clouding the issue just because you disagree with the initial reasons for being in Iraq.

Paul, Bristol, UK

"Why are so many Americans perceived as isolated and naive?"

Because it pleasures the perceivers to think of us that way.

I thank the SAS for their brave work.

John Hinds, California,

the moral equivalence between that some of these posters assume between the USA, a country whose executive is restrained by the rule of law and a free press and Iran a country ruled absolutely by a barely literate aged cleric with the help of a loud mouthed puppet, I find disgusting.Islam should look within itself to seek explanations as to why wherever it holds sway its people are poor, stupid and despised by the free world!

stuart, blackburn, Lancashire

The Americans will come home crying when the real fighting starts - they are crying in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US establishment is hiding the truth from the sheep American public. Like the former US commander in Iraq said, - the best we hope to achieve is not defeat. This from a so called super power.

Shaffiq Mahmood, Halifax, UK

ok fine....invading iran now eh?

Andrew , Chesterfield,

I am ashamed that HM Forces are still involved in the atrocity which the Iraq fiasco has become.

Peter Donson, Southwell,Notts, UK

As a woman and a naturalized British citizen, I thank the SAS nearly every day of my life for what they do and the high price they and their families pay to maintain our democratic freedoms. Thank you one and all - you make me proud to be a Brit.

Lynne Taylor, Ria Sirach, France

Thanks to the Brits--the special relationship forged in two World Wars,Korea Vietnam, and conflicts in the Midle East is alive and well. As Mrs Thacher once said about Portugal being England's oldest ally, we Americans can proudly say the United Kingdom is our greatest ally. We owe them much gratitude for their courage,loyalty, and friendship. One thankful "Yank".

B. B. moorhatch, San Jose, California

Iranians knows very well the pathetic situation of Western Army in middle east . US and its allies are in " check " position . So they cant even think of an attack unless they solve the Iraq and Afgan issues . Good luck Mr. Bush !!

Anup, London, United Kingdom

Sorry, Bill Mayer. The America and the British are the enemy in a far away land.

How would you react if Iran illegally and brutally invaded Canada, just across the border? You'd fight the enemy, of course. That's the way it has always been. If the Americans and Brits were not in Iraq, the problem would solve itself.

Don't take my word for it, read the words of one of the top British generals in Iraq. "The presence of British forces are the cause of much of the unrest in the South of Iraq." That is why the Brits have retreated - yes, retreated - to the safety of a fortified and well protected air base, far from the city of Basra. There they can hunker down until they can be gently flown home, and then march down Whitehall declaring Victory.

Oh, and medals all round for the generals and "heroes", leaving the widows and orphans of Iraq to reflect on the unfairness of history.

Peter Biddulph, Worcestershire, England

These missions constitute a grave violation of Iranian sovereignty. Iran is ito be greatly respected for the restraint it has shown in not retaliating. British forces should think twice before carrying out orders to massacre the resistance fighters of Iraq. In these instances they have sunk to the level of the Blackwater thugs.

Joe Baker, London, UK

Well, if 'our boys' weren't occupying a foreign country then there'd be no need for this, would there?

Bob, Lancaster,

I can't believe the American and British nationalist hypocrites. What if Iranian troops were infliltrating your border? And do you identify yourself with your country's elites? Are you aware that is the essence of totalitarianism?

Leandro Capablanca, Curitiba, Brazil

Well done the SAS and the government for their leak indicating their real opinion on who is backing arms smuggling. Lets destroy their nuclear facilities next.

David Lea-Smith, Edinburgh, U.K.

Possibly a neccessary evil to stop these cross-border arms smugglers. The problem is that this could escalate further and drag the US, UK and other Coalition Forces into a fullscale firefight wtih Iranian military forces.

Coalition Forces are still seen by many Muslims as an occupying force, in Iraq and Afghanistan. If these Special Forces activities are to successfully maintained, then they have to be kept low key if at all possible.

As far as international terrorism is concerned, a good book to read is one by an Iranian born American Islamic scholar, Reza Alsan. He states that the West is loosing this fight due to incompetence and bad decision making by the Bush Administration.

He goes on to state that Islam as a 'Great Faith', must have its own 'Reformation' from within if it is to defeat those extrememists who makeup Al'Queda, the Taliban and other groups who are giving it a bad name.

B Clark, Chelmsford , UK

George/Bill -

This ain't Hollywoood, this is serious. Your comments make this sound like a video game.

Why are so many Americans perceived as isolated and naive?

Brian Draper, Manchester, England

On 23-09-01 the US State dept assured the World that EVIDENCE would be forth coming regarding the 911 murders. When can we expect to see the EVIDENCE?

Allan Marks, Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire

I don't like Iranian foregin policy (or domestic for that matter). However, most Westerners seem not to see things from their perspective. Imagine if Iran invaded Mexico and Canada (on either side of the USA, like Iraq & Afganistan are on either side of Iran). How would Americans feel? That is what has happened & their fear of the West is what is driving them. Just for once, let's try to see things from the other side & avoid another bloody war.

Justin Sare, Barcelona, Spain

Fantastic news, as Bill said, great feeling to know our guys our taking the initiative.
If we can conclusively prove Iran is arming and aiding fighting against the Allied forces then we should go all out to isolate Iran and seriously consider attacking it's nuclear facilities

Phill Barlow, The Wirral, England

While this story is as maybe, there is something about having an armed forces minister called Bob Ainsworth that makes me distinctly uncomfortable.

T Irwin, Manchester,

Give em hell, well done our SAS boys.

D Case, Newquay,

The excuse for war that Britain and the US chose this time is nothing less than ridiculous, arms smuggling for piece sake, but even then they don't bother to back this laughable excuse up with evidence (simply because they have none or see it debunked on blogs in real-time) and the "professional" media, as clueless and complacent as they always can be trusted to be, just reports lies as if it were the gospel truth. "There can be no doubt that.. Jesus would nuke Teheran if he were alive today," a government official said on condition of anonymity. And so we have the lesser king, Brown on numerous occasions stressing with so many words that he wants war with Iran. So by Jove now we have the British actively trying to jumpstart the war. And if the rest will be carried out as shoddy as this crackpot excuse they came up with, I hope this will enthuse some anonymous government official, who are intellectually able to learn a lesson in the future, provided there be one.

Albert Bakker, Veendam, Netherlands

Outstanding! It gives me great comfort to know that our forces are taking the fight to the enemy.

Bill Mayer, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA

God bless the Queen and the SAS. Were I not American I would feel privileged and proud to be a Brit.

George T. Bedway, Winchester, USA/VA