Iran's kidnapped diplomat is alive: ambassador

December 22, 2008 - 0:0

Kidnapped Iranian diplomat in Pakistan Heshmatollah Attarzadeh is alive and in good health, the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan says.

""The Iranian embassy's efforts to locate the abducted diplomat have been satisfactory. We were informed by Pakistani security officials that Attarzadeh is alive and we hope he will soon reunite with his family,"" Iranian ambassador Mashallah Shakeri told IRNA on Saturday.
Iran's commercial attaché Heshmatollah Attarzadeh Niyaki, was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in mid November while on his way to the Iranian consulate in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. His driver was killed in the attack.
Pakistani police forces have been investigating the case and have so far arrested five suspects in connection with the abduction.
The Iranian diplomat's abduction raised great concerns among Iranian authorities who blamed Islamabad for failing to provide security for the Iranian diplomats in the volatile region.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has urged the Pakistani government to spare no efforts to find the kidnapped diplomat.
Islamabad has blasted the kidnapping as a terrorist act, vowing to do their utmost to secure the release of the Iranian diplomat.
(Source: Press TV)