Iran accuses US over diplomat kidnapping

In January, 5 Iranian officials were 'detained' by U.S. forces at what Iraqis labelled as a 'consular office'.

Iran blamed America for the "terrorist" kidnapping of a Iranian diplomat in Baghdad today in the latest chapter of the two countries' increasingly hostile competition for influence in Iraq.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Tehran said that Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary of the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, was abducted on Sunday by Iraqi troops acting "under US supervision" and that the Iranian Government expects Washington to organise his release.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the terrorist act which runs counter to international regulations and the Vienna Convention," said Mohammad-Ali Hosseini.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it a responsibility of US forces in Iraq to protect members of the diplomatic community, including Iranian diplomats, and will hold them responsible for obtaining the release of the abducted Iranian diplomat."

US military commanders in Baghdad have denied having any role in the disappearance of Mr Sharafi, who, according to the Iranian account, was on his way to the new Baghdad branch of the Iranian state-owned Bank Melli when he was ordered out of his car by gunmen in Iraqi military uniforms.

Iranian diplomats have said that the gunmen appeared to be members of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion, a special military unit that works closely with US forces in the capital and drove American vehicles. But a US military spokesman rejected the charge today.

"We are not aware of any mission that even resembles this incident,” said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver, who added that he could not confirm whether the incident even took place.

Iraqi officials, speaking anonymously, have given conflicting versions of the episode, saying that policemen opened fire on gunmen who were thought to be abducting the Iranian envoy and that they had been captured. The men were later released to the Iraqi military. The US Embassy said it was still trying to piece together the various accounts.

Read the rest at the Times of London

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