Iran protests to U.S. over mosque blast: agency

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran made an official protest to the United States, via a Swiss intermediary, on Wednesday about what Tehran says is Washington's support for a group blamed for bombing an Iranian mosque, a news agency reported.

The charge d'affaires of the Swiss embassy, which handles U.S. interests in Iran, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and handed "evidence and documents" supporting Iran's allegations, the students news agency ISNA said.

Iran has said the United States, Britain and Israel were involved in the explosion in a mosque in the southern city of Shiraz in April that killed 14 people and wounded 200.

Tehran has often blamed London and Washington, two of its sworn foes, for unrest inside the Islamic Republic.

Tehran originally said the blast was an accident caused by explosives left over from an exhibition about the 1980s Iran-Iraq war. It changed its account after an investigation.

Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic ties since 1980. They are now embroiled in rows over Iran's nuclear plans, which Washington says are aimed at building bombs, and what U.S. officials say is Iranian meddling in Iraq. Tehran denies both charges.

"Iran's strong protest was conveyed to (the charge d'affaires) about the free-ranging activities of a terrorist and anti-revolutionary group in America," ISNA said, quoting a senior Foreign Ministry official. It did not name the group.

"In this meeting, part of the evidence and documents related to the terrorist activities of this group was handed over to the Swiss charge d'affaires in order to present to American officials in charge," it added.

Washington was asked "to hand over the agents and leaders (of the group) ... to Iran for justice to be done," ISNA added.

Swiss embassy officials in Tehran were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Hossein Jaseb; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Janet Lawrence)