The United States continues to hold five Iranian diplomats who were seized on Thursday when U.S. special forces raided the Iranian Consulate in the Iraqi city of Erbil. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the raid was authorized under an order from President Bush to target Iranian operatives in Iraq. Bush signed the order several months ago, but it had not been previously disclosed. During his prime-time address on Wednesday, President Bush threatened Iran and Syria and said the U.S. would seek out and destroy those who are providing material support to U.S. enemies in Iraq. On Sunday, Vice President Dick Cheney defended the president’s decision to target Iranian interests.

Vice President Dick Cheney: “Well, I think it’s been pretty well known that Iran is fishing in troubled waters, if you will, inside Iraq. And the president has responded to that, as you suggest. I think it’s exactly the right thing to do. Iran’s a problem in a much larger sense. They have begun to conduct themselves in ways that have created a great deal of tension throughout the region.”

During the same interview on Fox News, Vice President Cheney claimed the United States has made enormous progress in Iraq.