Iran has accused the US of seizing its nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri while he was making a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Mr Amiri, a nuclear researcher at Tehran University, vanished during a visit to the desert kingdom in May.
His disapperance came months before the revelation of a second uranium enrichment facility that Iran has been building near the city of Qom, raising speculation that he may have given the West information on it or other parts of the nuclear programme.
Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian foreign minister, told state media: "We have evidence of a US role in disapearance of the Iranian national ... in Saudi Arabia.
"There is evidence to suggest the United States was involved."
He added: "We consider Saudi Arabia responsible for the situation of Shahram Amiri and we consider Americans to have been involved in his arrest. We will pursue this case."
Iran has asked Saudi Arabia for information on Mr Amiri's whereabouts but has received no reply. Hasan Qashqavi, a foreign ministry spokesman in Tehran, appeared to allege collusion on the part of the Saudi authorities when he said: "Amiri's fate is Saudi Arabia's responsibility".
The newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported last week that Mr Mottaki made a formal complaint to the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, about the disappearances of Mr Amiri and three other Iranians in recent years.
Last month, Iran revealed that it was building the new enrichment facility outside Qom, bringing US and European accusations that it had been hiding the project. Tehran denied it sought to deceive the UN nuclear watchdog, saying it revealed the site earlier than required under its deals with the agency.
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Posted by: Frank G ||
10/09/2009 19:23 Comments ||
Top||
#2
The Mossad, surely. They have all those Yeminite Jews who were just flown over, no doubt some of them would have been delighted to harm their former neighbors... likewise that bunch with the radio station that beams back to Persia in impeccable Farsi.
[Al Arabiya Latest] An Iranian court has handed down the death penalty against a man who took part in opposition protests over a disputed election in June, a reformist website reported on Thursday.
Mowjcamp.com, which gave no source for the report, said a judge informed Mohammad-Reza Ali-Zamani about the verdict on Monday. It said Ali-Zamani is a member of a pro-monarchist group, but did not give details about the charges against him.
There was no immediate comment from the authorities on the case. There have been no other reports of death sentences issued against people involved in huge opposition protests that erupted after the presidential poll on June 12. Under Iranian law, such sentences can be appealed to a higher court.
There have been no other reports of death sentences issued against people involved in huge demonstrations that erupted after the poll, which the opposition says was rigged to secure the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Ali-Zamani was among more than 100 opposition supporters, including senior reformist figures, who were accused of fomenting post-election street unrest in a series of mass trials that got under way in August.
Mowjcamp said he had made "extensive confessions" during his trial. Reformist politicians have condemned the court sessions as "show trials".
Reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, who backed opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in the election, has said confessions made at the trials were obtained under "extraordinary conditions" and were invalid.
Analysts see the mass trials as an attempt by the authorities to uproot the moderate opposition.
Execution verdict
Under Iranian law, death sentences can be appealed to a higher court. "He was transferred on Monday from Evin prison ward 209 to Revolutionary Court number 15, presided over by judge Salabati, and the execution verdict was communicated to him," Mowjcamp said in its report about Ali-Zamani.
In its August report, Mehr said he was also accused of propaganda activities against the Islamic establishment and taking part in rallies with the aim of undermining national security. It said he is 37 years old.
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Posted by: Fred ||
10/09/2009 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11154 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Remember,this guy is an Iranian Freedom Fighter, just 3 years old when this regime took over. Jimmy Carter was President, America was in a deep recession, American diplomats were taken hostage and held until the next president took office. They chanted "Death to America".
This guy wants freedom for his people, how about you, do you want freedom for Iran ?
Posted by: Black Charlie Ebbolung2304 ||
10/09/2009 0:20 Comments ||
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