Saturday, April 7, 2007

Iranian diplomat was tortured in Iraq ...

After being released, the second secretary of Iran's Embassy in Iraq, Jalal Sharafi, who was kidnapped in Baghdad on February 4, 2007, in an interview with IRNA disclosed details of his kidnaping.

Sharafi explained how he was kidnapped and tortured by American troops and agents of an Iraqi organization acting under the supervision of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Signs of torture are evident on Sharafi's body and his is now undergoing medical treatment.

"While shopping at a store in one of Baghdad streets, I was kidnapped by several agents who were holding identity cards of Iraq's Ministry of Defense.

"Then the kidnappers took me to a base near Baghdad Airport and I was investigated by a few interrogators. Some of them were speaking in Arabic and others in English," he added.

The Iranian diplomat noted that the questions of CIA agents mainly concerned Iran's presence in and influence on Iraq.

He noted that they kept on asking about the extent of Iran's assistance to Nouri al-Maleki's government and Iraqi groups.

"Upon hearing my response about Iran's official relations with the Iraqi government and officials, they continued torturing me," added the released diplomat.

"Then they attempted to encourage me to cooperate with them by changing their approach. But I told them that they can contact Iranian Embassy in Baghdad for any information, given that I am only a diplomat and cannot act beyond the limit of my legal duties," he said.

Sharafi said later he heard that under the pressure of Iraqi officials, the kidnappers were forced to release him.

"After they set me free near Baghdad Airport, I managed to get to the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad with the assistance of people," he said.

Sharafi who was kidnapped on February 4, 2007 when his car was intercepted by vehicles carrying armed men in the Karradah district of Baghdad, was released on April 5.

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