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28 November 2010
Last updated at 14:39 ET
Whistle-blowing website Wikileaks has released 250,000 secret messages sent by US embassies which give an insight into current American global concerns.
They include reports of some Arab leaders - including Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah - urging the US to attack Iran and end its nuclear weapons programme.
Other concerns include the security of Pakistani nuclear material that could be used to make an atomic weapon.
The widespread use of hacking by the Chinese government is also reported.
The leaked US embassy cables also reportedly include accounts of:
Continue reading the main story Analysis
The fact that the Saudis, Jordanians and others are deeply suspicious about Iran's intentions is well known. What has not been known until now is how strongly they have been pressing for American military action.
The leaks do not tell the Iranians anything they did not suspect, or perhaps have already picked up themselves.
But they will sharpen the debate over Iran's nuclear plans, and about the chances of military action by the Americans - or the Israelis.
The leaks are deeply embarrassing for the Americans, and will infuriate Arab leaders whose remarks have been quoted.
The US government has condemned the release of state department documents.
"President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal," a White House statement said.
"We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorised disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information."
The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, says the US authorities are afraid of being held to account.
Earlier, Wikileaks said it had come under attack from a computer-hacking operation.
"We are currently under a mass distributed denial of service attack," it reported on its Twitter feed.
No-one has been charged with passing the diplomatic files to the website but suspicion has fallen on US Army private Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst arrested in Iraq in June and charged over an earlier leak of classified US documents to Mr Assange's organisation.
Wikileaks argues that the site's previous releases shed light on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Have you seen anything in the documents you would like to share with the BBC? Contact us using the form below
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They include reports of some Arab leaders - including Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah - urging the US to attack Iran and end its nuclear weapons programme.
Other concerns include the security of Pakistani nuclear material that could be used to make an atomic weapon.
The widespread use of hacking by the Chinese government is also reported.
The leaked US embassy cables also reportedly include accounts of:
- Iran attempting to adapt North Korean rockets for use as long-range missiles
- Corruption within the Afghan government, with concerns heightened when a senior official was found to be carrying more than $50m in cash on a foreign trip
- Bargaining to empty the Guantanamo Bay prison camp - including Slovenian diplomats being told to take in a freed prisoner if they wanted to secure a meeting with President Barack Obama
- US officials being instructed to spy on the UN's leadership
- The very close relationship between Russian PM Vladimir Putin and his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi
- Alleged links between the Russian government and organised crime
- Criticism of UK politicians including Prime Minister David Cameron
- Faltering US attempts to prevent Syria from supplying arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon
Continue reading the main story Analysis
The fact that the Saudis, Jordanians and others are deeply suspicious about Iran's intentions is well known. What has not been known until now is how strongly they have been pressing for American military action.
The leaks do not tell the Iranians anything they did not suspect, or perhaps have already picked up themselves.
But they will sharpen the debate over Iran's nuclear plans, and about the chances of military action by the Americans - or the Israelis.
The leaks are deeply embarrassing for the Americans, and will infuriate Arab leaders whose remarks have been quoted.
The US government has condemned the release of state department documents.
"President Obama supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal," a White House statement said.
"We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorised disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information."
The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, says the US authorities are afraid of being held to account.
Earlier, Wikileaks said it had come under attack from a computer-hacking operation.
"We are currently under a mass distributed denial of service attack," it reported on its Twitter feed.
No-one has been charged with passing the diplomatic files to the website but suspicion has fallen on US Army private Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst arrested in Iraq in June and charged over an earlier leak of classified US documents to Mr Assange's organisation.
Wikileaks argues that the site's previous releases shed light on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Have you seen anything in the documents you would like to share with the BBC? Contact us using the form below
Powered by WizardRSS | Best Membership Site Software