Iraq seeks release of Iranians seized by U.S.
12 Jan 2007 06:40:58 GMT
BAGHDAD, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Iraq's foreign minister said he was seeking the release of five Iranians seized by U.S. troops from a representative office of the Tehran government in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil on Thursday.
"What happened ... was very annoying because there has been an Iranian liaison office there for years and it provides services to the citizens," Hoshiyar Zebari, who is himself a Kurd, told Al-Arabiya television.
"We are in contact with the (U.S.) embassy and the American forces to seek their release."
After the autonomous Kurdish regional government, one of Washington's closest allies in Iraq, issued a strong condemnation of the raid, the U.S. military made a statement on Friday saying one of six people arrested had been released.
"The detained individuals will be questioned and the documents and equipment that was removed will be examined to determine the extent of the alleged illegal or terrorist activity," it said. "Based on the outcome of that investigation, appropriate action will be taken regarding the detainees."
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Linda Young - All Headline News Staff Writer
Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - Five Iranians were detained by a multinational force after an overnight raid on Tehran's diplomatic mission, Iraqi officials said Thursday. At about 3 am local time, troops entered the building in the Kurdish-controlled northern city of Irbil located some 220 miles from Baghdad.
According to a senior Kurdish official speaking on the condition of anonymity, troops confiscated computers and documents and detained five staff members.
Under dispute was whether a raid had taken place or not. CNN news reported Thursday that an American official disagreed with official reports from Iran that claimed the troops broke a gate open and conducted a raid of the consulate.
"No shots were fired. No altercation ensued," the U.S. official told CNN. "It was a knock on the door and 'Please come out.' "
The Iranian embassy in Baghdad sent a letter of protest to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry for what it called an "illegal move" on Thursday as reported on the Web site of the Islamic Republic News Agency, Tehran's official media.
The embassy has also called on the Iraqi government to help win the immediate release of its five detained staff members, IRNA reported.
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BAGHDAD, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Iraq's foreign minister said he was seeking the release of five Iranians seized by U.S. troops from a representative office of the Tehran government in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Arbil on Thursday.
"What happened ... was very annoying because there has been an Iranian liaison office there for years and it provides services to the citizens," Hoshiyar Zebari, who is himself a Kurd, told Al-Arabiya television.
"We are in contact with the (U.S.) embassy and the American forces to seek their release."
After the autonomous Kurdish regional government, one of Washington's closest allies in Iraq, issued a strong condemnation of the raid, the U.S. military made a statement on Friday saying one of six people arrested had been released.
"The detained individuals will be questioned and the documents and equipment that was removed will be examined to determine the extent of the alleged illegal or terrorist activity," it said. "Based on the outcome of that investigation, appropriate action will be taken regarding the detainees."
MORE AT LINK
Linda Young - All Headline News Staff Writer
Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - Five Iranians were detained by a multinational force after an overnight raid on Tehran's diplomatic mission, Iraqi officials said Thursday. At about 3 am local time, troops entered the building in the Kurdish-controlled northern city of Irbil located some 220 miles from Baghdad.
According to a senior Kurdish official speaking on the condition of anonymity, troops confiscated computers and documents and detained five staff members.
Under dispute was whether a raid had taken place or not. CNN news reported Thursday that an American official disagreed with official reports from Iran that claimed the troops broke a gate open and conducted a raid of the consulate.
"No shots were fired. No altercation ensued," the U.S. official told CNN. "It was a knock on the door and 'Please come out.' "
The Iranian embassy in Baghdad sent a letter of protest to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry for what it called an "illegal move" on Thursday as reported on the Web site of the Islamic Republic News Agency, Tehran's official media.
The embassy has also called on the Iraqi government to help win the immediate release of its five detained staff members, IRNA reported.
LinkHere
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