WASHINGTON, Jan 13: Recent US military raids against Iranians in Iraq were authorised by President George W. Bush, but do not mark a widening of the conflict, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said.

She told the New York Times that Mr Bush had given an order for a broad offensive against Iranian operatives in Iraq. “There has been a decision to go after these networks,” the newspaper’s website quoted her as saying in an interview on Friday before embarking on a Middle East trip.

She said Mr Bush issued the order several months ago after “seeing increasing activity among Iranians in Iraq.” The United States has long accused Iran of interfering in Iraq.

In a BBC interview broadcast on Saturday Ms Rice said Bush’s order to target Iranians operating in Iraq did not mark a widening of the conflict. “That’s not escalation, that’s just good policy,” she claimed.—Reuters