Region | Iran
Iranian officials suspected aiding Shi'ite militants in Iraq return to home
Five Iranian officials who were held in Iraq for more than two years by US forces on suspicion of aiding local Shiite militants are back in Iran.
- AP
- Published: 13:03 July 12, 2009
Tehran: Five Iranian officials who were held in Iraq for more than two years by US forces on suspicion of aiding local Shiite militants are back in Iran.
The five diplomats flew to Iran from Iraq on Sunday and were met at a Tehran airport by a cheering crowd of onlookers. The return was shown live on Iran's state-run Press-TV.
The Iranians were detained in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil in January 2007. Iran denied they were involved in militant activity.
US officials said they handed them over to the Iraqi government at its request because they were obliged to do so under a US-Iraqi security agreement.
The US State Department has said it was concerned their release could present a security threat to American troops in Iraq.
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