‘Abducted’ Iranian nuke scientist visits Pak embassy, asks for quick return to Tehran
By ANITuesday, July 13, 2010
LONDON - In a dramatic development, an Iranian nuclear scientist claimed by Tehran to have been abducted by the United States, has sought refuge in the Pakistan embassy in Washington.
Shahram Amiri disappeared last year while on a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Iran claimed that he had been captured by the Saudi intelligence services working in collaboration with the CIA, The Telegraph reports.
Iranian news agency Mehr reported on Tuesday morning that Amiri, who also worked for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation, “went to Iran’s interest section and asked for a quick return to Tehran”.
A series of videos have emerged in the last two months, which seem to be of Amiri. In the first and third videos, shown on Iranian television, a man is seen talking into what appears to be a computer videophone, claiming he has escaped from his US captors.
“I could be re-arrested at any time by US agents. I am not free and I’m not allowed to contact my family. If something happens and I do not return home alive, the US government will be responsible,” he said in the second, released two weeks ago.
He also claimed to have been tortured, The Telegraph reports.
There was speculation in the United States that the videos were attempts to prevent retaliation against his family by the Iranian authorities who were said to be deeply concerned at the information he might have provided.
The Iranian authorities said at the end of June that they were presenting evidence to the Swiss embassy that Amiri had been abducted, and demanding an investigation by the United States authorities, the paper reports. (ANI)
