Kidnapped Iranian diplomat freed in Iraq: Report

Tehran, Apr 3: An Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Iraq two months ago was released today and has arrived back in Iran, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

Gunmen in Iraqi army uniforms kidnapped the diplomat in February and Tehran blamed the US military for his abduction.

''Jalal Sharafi, second secretary of Iran's embassy in Baghdad, who was kidnapped in Baghdad on February 4, was released on Tuesday,'' IRNA reported, adding that he arrived back in Tehran where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

An Iraqi government official said at the time he was seized that Sharafi was snatched in Baghdad's central Karrada district by 30 gunmen wearing the uniforms of a special Iraqi army unit that often works with US military forces in Iraq.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the kidnapping was carried out by a group attached to Iraq's Defence Ministry ''which works under the supervision of American forces''.

The Iranian ministry summoned the Swiss and Iraqi ambassadors to Iran to protest against the abduction. The Swiss embassy handles US affairs in Iran, which has no diplomatic relations with its arch-foe Washington.

US forces in Iraq have arrested a number of Iranians, including diplomats, in the past and are still holding five.

Washington accuses Tehran of aiding militants fighting US forces in Iraq and U.S. President George W Bush has vowed to disrupt such support. Iran denies the charge, and blames occupying US and British troops for violence in Iraq.

Reuters