Iran Embassy Calls for Immediate Release of Abducted Engineers

Local Editor

Five Iranian technicians working on a power plant project in Syria were abducted on Tuesday by an unidentified group of people, the Iranian embassy in Damascus said. Iran’s Embassy on Wednesday called on Syria to take swift action to identify kidnapper(s) and secure the release of engineers. Issuing a statement, Iranian Embassy said the Iranian technicians and engineers will continue their activities and contribute to Syria's reconstruction and public services. "Unknown persons kidnapped on Tuesday morning five Iranian engineers and technicians as they were on their way to work at the Jandar power plant project in Homs," the statement read. It said Iranian Embassy to Damascus has made necessary coordination with related Syrian organizations to get first hand information on the status of the kidnapped nationals. “The embassy had taken every step, in coordination with the relevant Syrian authorities, to investigate the situation of the engineers... who are providing useful services to the Syrian people." It also demanded their "immediate release" and called on the "brotherly Syrian government to take serious and urgent steps to identify the kidnappers" and free the hostages. Speaking to Al-Manar Website, media advisor of the Iranian Embassy to Syria Mohammad Reza Sheibani, stressed “abduction aims at exerting pressures over Islamic Republic to change stance on Syrian regime.” Moreover, Sheibani refused to point fingers to anyone “before the formulated committee finalizes its investigation in the incident.” Iranian Embassy said five Iranian engineers and technicians, engaged in the Jandar 450 megawatt power plant project in Homs province, were heading to work at 06:30 am local time on December 20, 2011, when they were kidnapped by unknown armed men. The abduction received wide coverage in Syrian dailies and websites. Iran envisages a 5-billion-dollar trade with Syria and Iranian engineers and technicians have undertaken projects worth over USD 1.7 billion in Syria. Earlier, Iranian engineers have completed a series of projects in the country.

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