The United States has denied releasing the five Iranians apprehended in a U.S. military raid in northern Iraq until at least October, notwithstanding appeals from the Iraqi Government and demands from Iran.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari visited Washington to appeal to free the Iranians arrested in Irbil in January, for the release would facilitate the new U.S.-Iran dialogue on Iraq that brought envoys from the two countries together last month in Baghdad at their first public get-together in almost 30 years.
Iran is critical to U.S. interests in stabilizing Iraq because Tehran exercises great sway in Iraq as it has armed and trained many militant groups in the country. Zebari warned that Iran might miss the second session unless the Iranians are freed.
The U.S. carried out a raid on Iran’s northern liaison office on Jan. 11 to capture two senior Iranian officials who were on a visit to Iraq. However, the two targeted escaped arrest, but U.S. commandos were successful in detaining five mid-level operatives working with Quds Force, the overseas operations wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards related to arming, instructing and financing terrorists in Iraq.
The arrest followed President Bush’s pledge to break up Iran’s terror networks in Iraq. The fate of the five men is similar to the other foreign fighters captured in Iraq, with their status reviewed every six months. The Multinational Force center of operations assessed their status in April, making them ineligible for another review until October.
Iran has warned the United States to face dire consequences for its January raid. Foreign minister of Iran Mottaki said that U.S. would have to regret its repulsive, illegal action against Iran’s consulate and its officials.
Meanwhile, Iran has filed a complaint with the United Nations saying that the U.S. military forces have violated the most basic provisions governing diplomatic and consulate affairs, a blatant contempt for the most fundamental principles of international law, by attacking the Iranian Consulate General in Irbil and abducting five Iranian consular officers after disarming the guards of the premises, breaking the doors into the building and beating and injuring the personnel of the Consulate General.
Amidst all the allegations, the fate of the five remains a question mark atleast until October.
Via: Washintonpost
