Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Iranian diplomat seized in Iraq released
Iran, Security
(AP) - An Iranian diplomat seized two months ago in Iraq has been released, Iran's official news agency reported Tuesday, citing informed sources in Tehran. Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary at the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, will return to the Iranian capital later Tuesday, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
The report gave no indication of why or how Sharafi had been freed. He was seized on Feb. 4 when his car was intercepted by vehicles carrying armed men in the Karradah district of Baghdad. The gunmen, who wore Iraqi uniforms, forced him into one of their two vehicles and sped away. Iran said Sharafi had been taken by an Iraqi military unit commanded by the U.S. forces, and said it was holding the Americans responsible for his safety. The U.S. authorities denied any role in his disappearance.
The Iraqi government said it did not know who had taken Sharafi, but Shiite lawmakers said he had been seized by an Iraqi commando unit that reports to the U.S. command — an allegation strongly denied by U.S. spokesmen. Sharafi's disappearance took place as tension mounted between Iran and the United States over alleged Iranian support of Shiite extremists in Iraq and U.S. efforts to force Tehran to stop enriching uranium — a process that can produce material for nuclear reactors or bombs. It also occurred nearly a month after U.S. troops detained five Iranians in northern Iraq and accused them of having links to a network backing armed Shiite groups.
The report gave no indication of why or how Sharafi had been freed. He was seized on Feb. 4 when his car was intercepted by vehicles carrying armed men in the Karradah district of Baghdad. The gunmen, who wore Iraqi uniforms, forced him into one of their two vehicles and sped away. Iran said Sharafi had been taken by an Iraqi military unit commanded by the U.S. forces, and said it was holding the Americans responsible for his safety. The U.S. authorities denied any role in his disappearance.
The Iraqi government said it did not know who had taken Sharafi, but Shiite lawmakers said he had been seized by an Iraqi commando unit that reports to the U.S. command — an allegation strongly denied by U.S. spokesmen. Sharafi's disappearance took place as tension mounted between Iran and the United States over alleged Iranian support of Shiite extremists in Iraq and U.S. efforts to force Tehran to stop enriching uranium — a process that can produce material for nuclear reactors or bombs. It also occurred nearly a month after U.S. troops detained five Iranians in northern Iraq and accused them of having links to a network backing armed Shiite groups.
Labels: hostage, Iran, Jalal Sharafi
