• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=9/3/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238110
TITLE=AFGHAN IRAN PRISONERS (L)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
         // EDS: UPDATE INTRO AS NEEDED FROM CN FILE //
INTRO:  IN AFGHANISTAN, THE TALEBAN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT HAS SET FREE
FIVE IRANIAN PRISONERS (THURSDAY) IN WHAT THE GROUP CALLS A 
GOODWILL GESTURE.  A PAKISTANI PLANE IS DUE TO BRING THE IRANIANS
TO ISLAMABAD LATER THURSDAY. AYAZ GUL HAS DETAILS FROM THE 
PAKISTANI CAPITAL.
TEXT:  A JOINT DELEGATION OF PAKISTANI AND IRANIAN OFFICIALS 
NEGOTIATED THE RELEASE OF THE IRANIAN PRISONERS WITH THE TALEBAN 
IN THE SOUTHERN AFGHAN CITY OF KANDAHAR.
THE PRISONER RELEASE FOLLOWS AN OFFER BY THE TALEBAN LEADER 
MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR TO FREE THREE OF 30 IRANIAN CAPTIVES IN WHAT
MR. OMAR CALLED A GESTURE OF GOODWILL TO TEHRAN. THE TALEBAN 
SPOKESMAN SAYS THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT AGREED TO RELEASE TWO MORE 
IRANIANS AT PAKISTAN'S INSISTENCE. 
THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (AIP) QUOTES A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN AS 
SAYING THOSE FREED INCLUDED THREE IRANIAN TRUCK DRIVERS DETAINED 
LAST MONTH IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN.  THE OTHER TWO HAD BEEN 
ARRESTED EARLIER.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IRAN AND AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN MOVEMENT HAVE 
INCREASED SINCE ELEVEN IRANIAN DIPLOMATS DISAPPEARED IN NORTHERN 
AFGHANISTAN AFTER THE TALEBAN TOOK OVER THE CITY OF 
MAZAR-I-SHARIF LAST MONTH. THE MISSING DIPLOMATS WERE WORKING AT 
THE IRANIAN CONSULATE IN THE CITY AT THE TIME.
IRAN SAYS TALEBAN AUTHORITIES ARE HOLDING 70 OF ITS NATIONALS, 
INCLUDING THE ELEVEN DIPLOMATS. THE TALEBAN DENIES THE CHARGE BUT
ACKNOWLEDGES ARRESTING 30 IRANIAN TRUCK DRIVERS FROM 
MAZAR-I-SHARIF IN AUGUST, WHO THEY SAID WERE FERRYING MILITARY 
SUPPLIES TO ITS ENEMIES.
THE TALEBAN ACCUSES IRAN OF FUELING THE CIVIL WAR IN AFGHANISTAN 
BY PROVIDING MILITARY AID TO THE AFGHAN OPPOSITION. TEHRAN DENIES
THE CHARGE.
IRAN HAS WARNED AFGHANISTAN THAT IT WOULD CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS TO
SECURE THE RELEASE OF ITS DIPLOMATS AND HAS JUST CONCLUDED 
WIDE-SCALE MILITARY EXERCISES ON ITS BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/AG/LTD/JO
03-Sep-98 11:02 AM EDT (1502 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.