Iran Does Not Rule Out Help in Search for Americans Abducted in Iraq
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that according to the policies of related Iranian bodies, the country would be ready to assist in the process of finding three Americans kidnapped earlier this month in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
“If there is any help Iran can provide, it will pursue the issue on the basis of the policies made in the country,” Hossein Jaberi Ansari said Monday in his weekly press conference in Tehran, answering a question about Washington’s call on the Islamic Republic for help in finding the three kidnapped US citizens.
The spokesman, however, noted that relevant Iranian bodies should make a decision on the case.
On January 15, unknown gunmen seized three US men from a private residence in the southeastern Dora district of Baghdad.
They are the first Americans to be abducted in Iraq since the withdrawal of US troops in 2011.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said on January 21 that he had asked Iran for help in finding them.
Kerry told reporters that he and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed the case of the three men during a meeting on Wednesday.
“I asked him (Zarif) for whatever help, if Iran knew any way to provide help, or if there was some way they could have impact in getting the right outcome,” Kerry told reporters.
“He said he would take it under advisement and try to do what they can. He didn’t have any immediate knowledge whatsoever about it,” Kerry added.
The three men are employed by a small company that is doing work for General Dynamics Corp, under a larger contract with the US Army, according to a source familiar with the matter.
