According to a security official from IRGC intelligence organization in Kurdistan province, a suspicious Pajero vehicle with a diplomatic license plate driving through Saqqez County in Kurdistan Province on 13 August was closely monitored by the security forces and finally stopped in the vicinity of Irankhah village.
The passengers were suspiciously filming military sites and when ordered to stop, they fled the filming location, the security official added.
“The car drove past three checkpoints without making a stop but the passengers were finally made to stop the car by security forces of Kurdistan intelligence organization in the vicinity of Irankhah village in Saqqez,” he said.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the two passengers were Sébastien Surun, French political attaché, and Charlotte Lopez, second secretary of the British Embassy in Tehran,” he said.
He went on to add that the two diplomats were driving through some regions of Kurdistan province without any legal permit or prior coordination.
“After making inquiries, it became known that the car and passengers had only residence permits for Azerbaijan Hotel and Shadi Hotel in Sanandaj, and their filming of military sites and border rivers were illegal and covert,” he said, adding “after the car was stopped, their camera was seized by the security forces.”
Meanwhile, an informed source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two diplomats were not detained and their trip and visit was done with prior notice. The source added that the car was merely stopped by the police to check for documents and ID cards, and after identification, the diplomats continued on their path.
MS/3743718
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