Washington, May 22 (Bloomberg) -- Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces have regrouped in Afghanistan with the assistance of outside countries, adding to the global terrorism threat, a top Russian government official said.

The official, who spoke to a group of reporters at the Russian Embassy in Washington and asked not to be named, wouldn't identify what countries may be funding the resurgence of terrorists in the country, where the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will take over peacekeeping duties later this year.

The warning contrasts with the assessment of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who said in a visit to the Afghan capital Kabul earlier this month that the ``bulk'' of the country is secure, allowing the U.S. to shift toward helping civilians rebuild roads, schools and health care.

The Russian policy maker met with Bush administration officials on areas of cooperation between the two countries, including the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological arms, counter-terrorism and North Korea. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Moscow last week, and President George W. Bush will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the end of the month.

In the aftermath of deadly bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco, American officials have pointed to Iran as a supporter of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror network, without offering proof of Iranian involvement in the attacks.

Rumsfeld said yesterday ``there's no question but that there have been and are today senior al-Qaeda leaders in Iran. And they're busy.''

Russia on Iraq

As Russia joined the U.S. and 12 other governments at the United Nations Security Council today in approving U.S. and British control over Iraq, Rumsfeld met at the Pentagon with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov. There was no immediate word on what the officials discussed.

Cooperation between the U.S. and Russia, after strengthening following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was strained by Russia's refusal to endorse a U.S.-led attack on Iraq as well as U.S. concerns of Iranian nuclear weapons proliferation. Russia is helping Iran build a nuclear power plant in the Persian Gulf port of Bushehr.

Russia has signed a $5 billion agreement to build five nuclear reactors in Iran, and contends the facilities would only be used for civilian purposes and would be under inspection by international monitors. The U.S. says such facilities may hide nuclear weapons development in Iran.

The official at the embassy, repeating earlier Russian statements, said the Bushehr plant will be under the full control of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Russia will receive all spent fuel from the facility's operations.

The State Department's top official for proliferation issues, Undersecretary John Bolton, reported no progress on the Iran nuclear matter during a visit to Moscow earlier this month and said it would be among the items facing Bush and Putin in their talks in Russia.

Last Updated: May 22, 2003 18:49 EDT