Iran's envoy to Baghdad: 25 Iranians still in U.S. prisons

Hassan Kazemi-Qomi who had accompanied two recently released Iranian diplomats and seven freed Iranian pilgrims from the U.S. occupying forces' prisons in Iraq, added in an interview with IRNA at Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA), "I hope by relying on Iraqi and Iranian governments' efforts, the remainder of Iranian inmates at U.S. prisons in Iraq would be freed soon."

The occupying U.S. forces illegally raided the premises of the Iranian Head Consulate in Iraq's Arbil last winter, looted the Consulate's properties, and arrested five Iranian diplomats, two of them, namely Mohsen Chegini and Hamid Asgari, were freed and returned home on Friday.

Iran's ambassador to Iraq added, "Another Six Iranian Consulate staff are still under illegal U.S. arrest, three of whom were Arbil Head Consulate's staff members and the rest have been kidnapped by the Americans in different parts of Iraq."

Kazemi-Qomi further stressed the illegal nature of the U.S. forces kidnapping of the Iranian diplomats, arguing, "This odd move is in direct contrast with the articles of the international conventions, and is also violating the Iraqi Government's national sovereignty."

He reiterated, "Since the diplomats were kidnapped by U.S. forces in Iraq's soil while performing their diplomatic duties and they enjoyed diplomatic immunity, the Iraqi Government is obliged to do its best to hasten their release form illegal arrest."

Appreciating the efforts made so long by the Iraqi Government in this regard that have led to the release of two Iranian diplomats, Kazemi-Qomi expressed hope that the rest of the arrested Iranian diplomats, too, would be released as soon as possible.

He added, "The Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, too, has several times expressed hope that our arrested citizens in his country would be freed and returned home soon."

Deputy Foreign Minister in Consular and Parliamentary Affairs Seyyed Mohammad Ali Shahidi also expressed hope that the remaining three diplomats, too, would be freed soon.

Speaking to IRNA at Imam Khomeini International Airport, Shahidi appreciated the Iraqi government's efforts aimed at their freedom, and asked the Iraqi brethren to continue such efforts for the release of the rest of Iranian inmates.

He further emphasized, "Now that the U.S. administration has made sure that these people are diplomats, they should be released from illegal detention as soon as possible."