Pompeo Praises Albania For Expelling Iranians Over Terror Attack Plans - State Department

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd December, 2018) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday called his Albanian counterpart Ditmir Bushati to praise Tirana for expelling two Iranian officials, including the ambassador, in response to an Iran-sponsored plot to carry out a terrorist attack in Albania, the Department of State said in a press release.

"Following recent arrests that disrupted Iranian-backed plots in Denmark and France, Albania's actions send a clear message that Iranian terrorism is unacceptable on European soil," Pompeo said, according to the release.

Pompeo also congratulated Bushati on Albania's selection to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in 2020, the release said.

On Wednesday, Albania announced the expulsions of the Iranian officials without giving details. But Albanian television reported that the expulsions, which reportedly included the Iranian ambassador, were connected to a plot to attack a 2016 World Cup soccer match in Albania with Israel.

President Donald Trump praised the expulsions in an earlier letter to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.