USA Denies Iran Envoy's Torture Claim

Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary at Iran's embassy in Baghdad, told Iranian media the agents had interrogated him on his country's role in Iraq.

Mr Sharafi said he had been taken from his car by men in Iraqi army uniforms.

The White House said the US had not been involved in his detention, and it welcomed Mr Sharafi's return to Iran.

Irbil detentions

Mr Sharafi told the Irna state news agency he was subjected to torture "day and night".

"I was kidnapped on a Baghdad street while shopping by officials who had Iraqi defence ministry ID cards and were riding in American forces vehicles," he said.

 

This is just the latest theatrics of a government trying to deflect attention away from its own unacceptable actions

Gordon Johndroe

White House spokesman

Mr Sharafi said he was taken from the Karrada district to a base near Baghdad airport and questioned in Arabic and English.

"The CIA officials' questions focused mainly on Iran's presence and influence in Iraq," he said.

"When faced with my responses on Iran's official ties with the Iraqi government they increased the torture."

Iran's Fars news agency said: "He showed reporters the marks left by torture on his body that are now being treated by doctors."

The US
has denied claims made by an Iranian diplomat abducted in Iraq that he
was tortured in captivity by people who included CIA agents.

A US spokesman said Jalal Sharafi's allegations of a US role in his
detention were "theatrics" from the "Iranian propaganda machine".