Iran confirms diplomat kidnapped in Iraq-ISNA

TEHRAN, Feb 6 (Reuters) Iran's Foreign Ministry today confirmed that an Iranian diplomat in Baghdad was kidnapped on Sunday and said it held U S forces responsible for his safety, Iran's students news agency ISNA reported.

An Iraqi official had earlier said the diplomat was seized by gunmen who were wearing uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion, a special operations unit that often works with U S military forces in Iraq.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said Jalal Sharafi, second secretary the embassy in the Baghdad, was seized by a group related to Iraq's Defence Ministry ''which works under the supervision of American forces'', ISNA reported.

He was kidnapped outside a branch of Iran's Bank Melli in the Iraqi capital, he said.

''Based on reliable information, the group which has committed this completely terrorist act, are active under the supervision of the American forces and some of them have been arrested. There is a record of their previous acts,'' Hosseini said.

It was not immediately clear if those Hosseini said were arrested were seized in relation to the latest incident or other incidents.

''The Islamic Republic of Iran holds the American forces in Iraq responsible for the life and safety of the Iranian diplomat and condemns this action strongly and wants the quick release of the Iranian diplomat,'' Hosseini said.

REUTERS SY KN1549