Iranian scientist flees to Pak embassy in US

Jul 14, 2010 |

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Tehran, July 13: An Iranian nuclear scientist, whom Tehran claims was abducted by US spies in 2009, has taken refuge at Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, state media reported on Tuesday.

“Mr Shahram Amiri, the abducted Iranian expert, took refuge in Iran’s interest section in Washington hours ago,” state television’s website said.

Mehr news agency said Mr Amiri who was “abducted by Americans went to Iran’s interest section... and asked for a quick return to Tehran.”

State news agency IRNA, meanwhile, quoted an “informed source” from the Iranian foreign ministry as saying that its officials had “contacted the Iranian interest section in Washington which confirmed the report that Mr Amiri had taken refuge there.”

Iran’s interests in the United States are managed by the Pakistan embassy as Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic ties for more than three decades.

Neither Pakistan embassy nor US state department officials were immediately available for comment.

Iranian officials have long maintained that Mr Amiri was kidnapped by US agents from Saudi Arabia in 2009 after he arrived for a Muslim pilgrimage.

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