Nawazish
Minister (2k+ posts)
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: An Iranian nuclear scientist who vanished more than a year ago mysteriously turned up in Washington on Tuesday, saying he had been kidnapped but the United States denied that he was held against his will.
Iran, which is locked in a standoff with the West over its suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons, has repeatedly accused the US Central Intelligence Agency of abducting Shahram Amiri, who worked for Irans Atomic Energy Organisation.
Amiri, who went missing during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia more than a year ago, appeared at the Iranian interests section of the Pakistani Embassy, which represents Iran because Tehran and Washington have no diplomatic relations.
A man identifying himself as Amiri has variously said in recent videos that he was kidnapped and tortured; that he was studying in the United States; and that he had fled the US agents and wanted human rights groups to help him return to Iran.
Amiri was quoted by Iranian state TV on Tuesday as saying my kidnapping was a disgraceful act for America. The mystery surrounding him fueled speculation that he may have had valuable intelligence about the Iranian nuclear programme.
In March, ABC News reported he defected and was helping the CIA. The US officials on Tuesday said Amiri had decided to return to Iran of his own volition.
My kidnapping was a disgraceful act for America ... I was under enormous psychological pressure and supervision of armed agents in the past 14 months, Amiri, who is in his thirties, was quoted as telling Irans state TV in a phone interview.
Amiri has been escorted by American forces to Irans interests section in Washington, Irans Press TV said. In June, the State Department said the United States had not kidnapped Amiri but did not address whether another country might have abducted the man and turned him over.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters: Amiri has been in the United States of his own free will and he is free to go. She contrasted his situation with that of three US hikers in Iranian custody.
While the US officials denied they were looking to swap Amiri for the three Americans arrested near the Iraq border about a year ago, raising their case in connection with the nuclear scientist suggested they might be interested in an exchange.
In Tehran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said: We do not think it is the right thing to discuss swapping Shahram Amiri for three Americans who illegally entered Iranian territory.
Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, say they strayed over the border while hiking in the mountains of northern Iraq. State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said Amiri was due to leave on Monday but was unable to make the necessary arrangements. Crowley said he had no information to suggest Amiri had been mistreated while in the United States. He did not address the possibility of Amiris mistreatment elsewhere.
http://thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=30031
Iran, which is locked in a standoff with the West over its suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons, has repeatedly accused the US Central Intelligence Agency of abducting Shahram Amiri, who worked for Irans Atomic Energy Organisation.
Amiri, who went missing during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia more than a year ago, appeared at the Iranian interests section of the Pakistani Embassy, which represents Iran because Tehran and Washington have no diplomatic relations.
A man identifying himself as Amiri has variously said in recent videos that he was kidnapped and tortured; that he was studying in the United States; and that he had fled the US agents and wanted human rights groups to help him return to Iran.
Amiri was quoted by Iranian state TV on Tuesday as saying my kidnapping was a disgraceful act for America. The mystery surrounding him fueled speculation that he may have had valuable intelligence about the Iranian nuclear programme.
In March, ABC News reported he defected and was helping the CIA. The US officials on Tuesday said Amiri had decided to return to Iran of his own volition.
My kidnapping was a disgraceful act for America ... I was under enormous psychological pressure and supervision of armed agents in the past 14 months, Amiri, who is in his thirties, was quoted as telling Irans state TV in a phone interview.
Amiri has been escorted by American forces to Irans interests section in Washington, Irans Press TV said. In June, the State Department said the United States had not kidnapped Amiri but did not address whether another country might have abducted the man and turned him over.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters: Amiri has been in the United States of his own free will and he is free to go. She contrasted his situation with that of three US hikers in Iranian custody.
While the US officials denied they were looking to swap Amiri for the three Americans arrested near the Iraq border about a year ago, raising their case in connection with the nuclear scientist suggested they might be interested in an exchange.
In Tehran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said: We do not think it is the right thing to discuss swapping Shahram Amiri for three Americans who illegally entered Iranian territory.
Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, say they strayed over the border while hiking in the mountains of northern Iraq. State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said Amiri was due to leave on Monday but was unable to make the necessary arrangements. Crowley said he had no information to suggest Amiri had been mistreated while in the United States. He did not address the possibility of Amiris mistreatment elsewhere.
http://thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=30031
