Amiri’s presence in Iran's interest section in US, confirmed

Tehran, July 13, IRNA – An informed source at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday confirmed the news of the presence of abducted researcher, Shahram Amiri, in Iran's interest section in Washington.

Western media announced this morning that Amiri has taken refuge in Iran’s interest section in Washington.

By attending the Islamic Republic’s interest section, Amiri had called for return to the country, the sources added.

The informed source told IRNA that the news has been confirmed after Foreign Ministry officials contacted Iran's interest section in Washington.

Amiri, a university researcher, disappeared during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last June. He was abducted by US agents with the help of the Saudi intelligence service.

In a video clip aired on Iran TV channels on April 6, 2010, Amiri said he was in the US and that he had been kidnapped by US agents en route to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia in June 2009.

In related developments, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said that the film confirmed Tehran’s charges that Amiri had been kidnapped by the US and Saudi intelligence services.

Meanwhile, Tehran summoned the ambassador of Switzerland, whose country represents Washington’s interests in Iran.

Documents confirming Amiri’s abduction along with a protest letter were handed to the Swiss envoy./end