Iran accuses US and Israel of backing kidnappers

ILNA- Iranian Intelligence Minister, Heydar Moslehi

Iran accuses US and Israeli intelligence services of supporting the kidnappers of Heshmatollah Attarzadeh Niaki, the Iranian diplomat whom Islamic Republic announced to have rescued today.

Iranian Ministry of Intelligence announced today that they have secured the release of Attarzadeh in “a complicated operation” which according to Heydar Moslehi, Iran’s Intelligence Minister, “has left the US and Mossad intelligence services in awe.”

The Intelligence Minister did not comment on the actual identity of the kidnappers who took the Iranian diplomat hostage in Pakistan in November of 2008. However, he added: “The Islamic Republic did not capitulate to any of this armed group’s demands which is supported by the US and Mossad.”

Earlier, Pakistani authorities had attributed the kidnapping to Taleban forces, but Taleban had not taken responsibility for it.

Heydar Moslehi also maintained that Pakistani Security Forces were not involved in the rescue mission of the Iranian diplomat.

He added that the Islamic Republic “will stand firm against the conspiracies and plots” of Western spy agencies and defuse them.

After arresting Jundullah leader, Abdolmalek Rigi last month, Iran also accused the US and Israel of supporting the armed insurgent group in the southeast of Iran.

The US has denied any support of Rigi or Jundallah.

Heydar Moslehi also claimed that Western intelligence agencies are trying to “set up brothers against each other” in the region.