US forces release Iranian diplomats in Iraq: IRNA

TEHRAN, Dec 29: Two Iranian diplomats detained in Iraq last week by U S forces have been released, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported today.

U S officials had said the diplomats were seized in raids directed at Iranians suspected of planning attacks on Iraqi security forces. Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that the diplomats had been invited by the Iraqi government.

IRNA reported that the two Iranian diplomats were handed to the Iranian embassy in Baghdad today morning.

''The American forces admitted, despite their initial denial, they had detained Iranian diplomats and pressure from the Iraqi government for their release fortunately bore result,'' IRNA quoted Hassan Kazemi-Qomi, Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, as saying.

The U S State Department said last week that ''a small number'' of Iranian diplomats were among those initially detained in the raids, but that they were turned over to Iraqi authorities and released.

A US official had said that the arrest validated US assertions about ''Iranian meddling'' in Iraq.

US officials have long accused Iran of interfering in Iraq's affairs. Iran denies this, saying Iraq's security is in line with Iran's interests.

REUTERS