Lebanese intelligence officials consulted on fate kidnapped Iranians
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Beirut, Feb 7, IRNA -- Iran’s ambassador here Monday held talks with Lebanon’s internal intelligence commander and interior minister on release from captivity of Iranian kidnapped engineers in Syria and their transfer to northern Lebanon.
Ambassador Qazanfar Roknanadi in his talks with Chief Internal Intelligence Commander Brigadier General Ashraf Rifi, Deputy Intelligence Commander Brigadier General Khouri Qa’em, and Interior Minister Marwan Shuraibal said that the fate of the kidnapped Iranian engineers in Syria is of great importance for Tehran.
The Lebanese interior minister keeping in mind the moves made in that respect, reiterated, “The matter is pursued seriously aimed at clarifying the fate of the Iranian engineers.”
Roknabadi had earlier, too, reacted to the broadcasted news on transfer of the seven Iranian kidnapped engineers to northern Lebanon, asking the Lebanese government to launch investigations about the matter.
Inviting the Lebanese officials to provide information on the matter, he said, “If the news in this respect would be authentic, the Lebanese officials are expected to take immediate steps aimed at releasing them form captivity.”
Some news dispatches had earlier announced that the seven kidnapped Iranian engineers had been transferred to northern Lebanon, but Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar daily reported that the so-called Free Syrian Army has rejected the news dispatched by some agencies on the matter.
Some opposition Syrian groups have set condition for releasing these kidnapped engineers as release from jails of the entire Syrian prisoners.
Five Iranian engineers who were kidnapped in Syria last December have been relocated to northern Lebanon; Press TV quoted an informed Lebanese source Sunday.
On December 21, 2011, eight technicians, including five Iranian electrical engineers were kidnapped by armed gunmen while travelling to a power plant in the Syrian city of Homs. Later, two other Iranians, who were trying to obtain information about the missing men, were also kidnapped, and their whereabouts are still unknown.
Syrian armed gangs and terrorists are known to have taken sanctuary in northern Lebanon.
Iran's Embassy in Damascus has issued a statement, calling on the Syrian government to take immediate action for the release of the abductees and identify the kidnappers.
The technicians have been building the city's Jandar power plant for the past two years.
Courtesy: Trend AZ for the background
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30803430
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