Does Iran support Osama bin Laden?
Iran says no. From the start Iran was hostile to the Taliban government of Afghanistan that sheltered bin Laden from 1996 to 2001. Bin Laden and the Taliban represented a purist strain of Sunni islam, while Iran represents a militant form of Shi'a Islam. Theologically, they are adversaries. After Taliban forces massacred a group of Iranian officials in western Afghanistan in 1998, Iran openly supported efforts to overthrow the Taliban. In November 2002 Iranian officials said that they had arrested one of bin Laden's sons and expelled him from Iran.
Post coverage:
Iran Says It Held Son of Bin Laden (Nov. 4, 2002)