19 Iranians in US jails are innocent: Deputy FM

Mashad, August 20, IRNA - Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Expatriates Affairs said there are 19 Iranians imprisoned in US who are innocent and held in jail as political prisoners. Speaking to IRNA on the sidelines of a local event, Hassan Qashqavi said there are measures underway between Iran and US through third countries' emabassies to secure their freedom. There are three to four other prisoners with Iranian passports who are considered Iranians citizens and their case is being followed up by the Foreign Ministry, he added. Qashqavi also criticized the ban on Iranian students who watnted to study nuclear physics in some foreign countries and said such restrictions were void of legal and logical status. He said there have been talks with countries such as Norway which created problems for Iranian students and hoped that the problems will be settled. The deputy foreign minister announced that as of October 23, Iraqi pilgrims who travel to the holy city of Mashad can pick up their visas in the airport upon their arrival. Qashqavi said Iran has called for lifting visa requirement with Iraq and is ready to implement it as Iraqi Kurdistan has already cancelled visas for Iranian travelers. Following the recent visit of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Iraq, holders of official and diplomatic passports are visa exempt, he added.