Iran to Send Team to Yemen to Pursue Fate of Kidnapped Embassy Staffer
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman announced that a technical delegation is scheduled to travel to Yemen within the next two days to pursue the fate of an Iranian embassy staffer who has been abducted in Sana'a in July, 2013.
“Following the foreign ministry's efforts to pursue (the case), including the foreign minister’s telephone contact with his Yemeni counterpart, a technical delegation will be dispatched to Yemen within the next two days to pursue and study the developments regarding our country’s abducted diplomat,” Marziyeh Afkham told the Tasnim News Agency on Wednesday.
On July 21, a group of armed men kidnapped Nour Ahmad Nikbakht in Yemeni capital of Sana'a at gunpoint, and took him to an unknown location.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction and the officials at the Iranian foreign ministry are working with Yemeni government to locate and release him.
Earlier on December 17, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made a telephone call with his Yemeni counterpart Abu Bakr Abdallah al-Qirbi to pursue the fate of the Iranian embassy staffer who has been held hostage since July this year.
During the telephone conversation, Zarif once again reiterated that the ultimate responsibility for the release of Nour Ahmad Nikbakht lies with the Yemeni government.
In relevant remarks on Monday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian denied the media reports on the death of Nikbakht, saying he was safe and sound.
“He is healthy, and a delegation will travel from Iran to Yemen this week to pursue the issue,” Amir Abdollahian said at the time.