Salehi Urges Yemeni Gov't To Help Release Iranian Embassy Staffer

Tehran, July 22, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Sunday called on the Yemeni government to take immediate action to help release Iranian Embassy staffer kidnapped in Sanˈa. A group of armed men kidnapped Iranian Embassy staff member Nourahmad Nikbakht in Sanˈa. Following the incident, the Iranian foreign minister telephoned his Yemeni counterpart Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi to condemn the inhuman move and called for serious and immediate action of the Yemeni government to this end. It is responsibility of the host countries to fully observe international conventions and protocols to maintain the security of foreign diplomats residing in that country, Salehi said in his telephone conversation. The Yemeni foreign minister for his part expressed regret at the abduction and said the Yemeni government will do its best to free the Iranian diplomat. Security forces have taken required measures to identify the kidnappers, he said. In a related news, Yemeni charge dˈaffaires in Tehran was summoned to Foreign Ministry on Sunday to hear concern of the Islamic Republic of Iran on fate of the Embassy staffer in Sanˈa./end