Diplomat refutes report on immediate freedom of detained Americans

Tehran, Aug 7, IRNA – Iran’s Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danaiefar on Saturday denied claims of the Associated Press news agency that two Americans detained in Iran would be freed soon.

“The case of the two Americans is open at Iran’s judiciary. In an interview with the American (Associated Press) reporter in Iraq on Thursday last week, I announced that the case of the two Americans detained on charges of illegally entering Iran and espionage is still under investigation at the Judiciary,” Danaiefar told IRNA.

When the American reporter persistently asked when the two Americans would be freed “I stressed that investigation into the case is not over yet. The AP reporter still insisted on knowing the date of their freedom and I only said war is an unpleasant event in man’s life and wished for freedom of all prisoners.”

Three Americans, i.e. Sarah Shourd, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, were arrested in 2009 as they entered illegally into Iranian territory.

Shourd was released on bail in September 2010 and returned to the US but did not attend the court hearing held later on./end