It was recently reported that coalition officials in Afghanistan had intercepted Iranian-made AK-47s, plastic explosives, mortars and at least one explosively formed penetrator – a weapon Iran has provided to insurgents in Iraq.

While a direct link between the weapons and Iran has not been firmly established, and Iran and the Taliban are far from fast friends, Iran has long been known to deal with allies and adversaries alike as long as the relationship furthers broader Iranian interests; in this case the slow-bleed of deployed US forces.