Jun 28, 2004, 5:17 PM

U.S. Interests Section Official Summoned To Iranian Foreign Ministry

TEHRAN, June 28 (MNA) -- An official of the U.S. Interests Section in Iran was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday to receive Iran’s official protest about the arrest and temporary detention of an Iranian diplomat on his way to Iraq by U.S. occupation forces, an informed source told the Mehr News Agency.

The U.S. Interests Section in Iran is located in the Swiss Embassy.

The second highest-ranking diplomat of the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad was released Sunday morning after being detained for 20 hours by U.S. forces in Iraq. The diplomat was returning to Iraq through the Khosravi border checkpoint and was accompanied by two other diplomats and a driver.

The Iranian diplomat began his diplomatic activities in Iraq three months ago. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has given him permission to stay in the country for one year.

Some news services have claimed that the action was a response to Iran’s temporary detention of eight British servicemen who were arrested by the Iranian Navy after their vessel strayed into Iranian territorial waters last week.

The Swiss Embassy in Tehran has refused to comment on the issue.

MS/HG

End

MNA

News ID 6497

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