Westerwelle’s visit not linked to release of two German nationals

TEHRAN, Feb. 23 (MNA)--Tehran’s Ambassador to Berlin Sheikh-Attar dismissed any link between Westerwelle’s visit to Tehran and the release of the two German nationals, who were arrested in Iran in 2010.

Marcus Hellwig and Jens Koch, who had entered Iran on tourist visas, were arrested in October 2010 for trying to interview relatives of Sakineh Ashtiani without having obtained journalistic credentials. Sakineh Ashtiani has been convicted of adultery and murder.

The court commuted the 20-month imprisonment sentence of the two German reporters to a fine of around $50,000 and released them.

Westerwelle’s visit was pre-scheduled and was not linked to the release of Hellwig and Koch, the ambassador said, adding “the two nationals were released before the presence of the German foreign minister in Iran.”

Westerwelle himself also denied any link between the two issues, Sheik-Attar said.

The ambassador also criticized the German media outlets for disseminating the propaganda that Iran’s pre-condition to release the two German nationals was Westerwelle’s meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“It is a big lie about Westerwelle’s visit”, Sheikh-Attar stated.

“The German media outlets, which are greatly influenced by the Zionists, got angry at the German foreign minister’s visit to Iran and created a brouhaha,” the diplomat explained.

Sheikh-Attar also said that Westerwelle’s visit “opened a new chapter in the relations between Iran and Germany.”