Iran presses U.S. on detained Iranians in Baghdad

Iran presses U.S. on detained Iranians in Baghdad
10 Mar 2007 12:50:00 GMT
Source: Reuters
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Background
Iraq in turmoil
More BAGHDAD, March 10 (Reuters) - Iranian delegates to a regional conference in Baghdad on Saturday demanded the release of several Iranians captured by U.S. forces in Iraq, a source at the talks said.

~snip~

U.S. soldiers seized five men Tehran says are diplomats in a raid on an Iranian government office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on Jan. 11.

The raid came hours after U.S. President George W. Bush pledged to crack down on what he called the "flow of support" from Iran to Iraqi militants. The arrests were the second such incident in a month.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki addressed the opening session of the conference before delegates retired behind closed doors for talks, the source said.

more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR045807.htm

Iranian delegates demanded the release of several Iranians captured by U.S. forces in Iraq, a source at the talks said.

U.S. soldiers seized five men Tehran says are diplomats in a raid on an Iranian government office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on Jan. 11.

Apparently responding to the Iranians, Khalilzad said: "The Coalition does not have anyone in detention who is a diplomat."

"The U.S. and Coalition forces will continue to take appropriate steps under our mandate to protect Iraq's citizens, and our soldiers, from foreign elements who are contributing to violence in Iraq," he said.

"No one should doubt our resolve in this regard."
more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L10617033.htm

a diplomat. Remember, Condi Rice represents us.

maybe we should keep them for a few years...We will not kill them like they killed our staff..

Iran blames US for Iraq violence 5 minutes ago



BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iran's envoy to regional peace talks in Baghdad rebuffed allegations that his country was fomenting violence in Iraq and instead blamed the fighting on the presence of US forces.

Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Abbas Araghchi, accused the international forces in Iraq of playing a double game and called on them to set a date for their withdrawal.

"It will help resolve the problem of violence if they set a timetable for withdrawal of their troops from Iraq," he told reporters after a meeting with Iraq, its neighbours and the permament members of the UN Security Council.

He also condemned attacks on religious places and gatherings, five days after a double suicide attack on a crowds of Shiite pilgrims killed at least 117 Iraqis in the central city of Hilla.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070310/wl_mideast_afp/iraqsecuritytalksiran_070310155850

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR057752.htm

Also: U.S. ambassador says had direct talks with Iranians - Reuters