The US military has rejected Iran's petition for a consular visit of the five kidnapped Iranian diplomats currently held in Iraq by US troops, Press TV reported.
The US refusal of Iran's legitimate demand is contradictory to international conventions, a source told Fars News Agency under a promise of anonymity. The source continued that the Islamic Republic had submitted several official demands, one through the Red Cross, for a visit by Consular staff, but none has received a response from the US.
The kidnapped diplomats - Nasser Baqeri, Mousa Chegini, Abbas Hatami Kakavand, Hamid Asgari Shokouh, and Majid Qa'emi - are currently in the custody of American forces.
"Such illegal acts fuel insecurity and instability in Iraq and might prevent other countries from opening consular offices in that war-torn country," the source said.
The US claimed the diplomats were meddling in Iraqi domestic affairs. Iran maintains that the Americans are attempting to cover their failures through such accusations. Iran says if the US officials have any documented proof, they should present it. |