The Iranian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the arrest of senior Iranian diplomat Bagher Asadi in Tehran.
On Thursday May 2, the Iranian national broadcaster announced that a knowledgeable source in the Foreign Ministry has confirmed the arrest of an Iranian diplomat.
The report says: “After Reuters reported the arrest of a prominent Iranian diplomat and a member of the Iranian Mission to the United Nations in New York, a knowledgeable source confirmed the case in response to reporter questions but did not provide any details.”
The report was also mentioned by ISNA and other official media in the country.
Reuters had reported earlier that Bagher Asadi, the 61-year-old senior diplomat, was arrested in Tehran in March.
Charges against Asadi remain unknown, but Reuters suggests that his arrest may be connected with the coming presidential election in June.
Asadi was a supporter of former reformist president Mohammad Khatami. While many progressive forces in Iran have called on Khatami to run again in the upcoming election, conservative factions have indicated that his candidacy would not be approved by the Guardian Council.
