“No solid evidence has been found to indicate that the four diplomats were martyred in Lebanon or any other country, but on the contrary, there are concrete evidences proving that they are alive,” Qazanfar Roknabadi, Iranian ambassador in Lebanon told Al-Alam News Channel.
“After the diplomats were kidnapped in Lebanese territory, they were taken to the occupied lands [of Israel] and are now in the Zionist regime’s custody,” the diplomat said, as Tehran held a ceremony to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the diplomats’ abduction on 4 July, 1982.
Despite efforts to free the four Iranian diplomats, the Zionist regime has refused to release the detainees. Meanwhile, the international shuttle-diplomacy by Tehran over the past 30 years has yet to bear fruit.
Participants at the ceremony unanimously held Israel responsible for the abduction of four Iranian nationals kidnapped on the way to office in Beirut and urged the immediate release of the diplomats to end the crisis.
The diplomats - -- Ahmad Motevaselian, Seyyed Mohsen Mousavi, Taqi Rastegar Moqaddam and Kazem Akhavan - were arrested at Al-Barbaraa checkpoint in northern Lebanon.
“Its high time for international community to force Israel to return the diplomats to Iran and unmask the grisly picture of the Zionist regime,” Michel Moussa, chairman of Human Rights committee of Lebanese parliament told Al-Alam.