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2007 Tuesday 12 June

Iran to make U.S. "regret" detention of Iranians

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will make the United States "regret" its detention of five Iranians in Iraq since early this year, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Tuesday.

Iran says the five Iranians detained by U.S. forces in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil in January are diplomats and has demanded their release. U.S. officials say they were involved in supporting militants inside Iraq.

"We will make the Americans regret their ugly and illegal action against the Islamic Republic of Iran's consulate in Arbil, Iraq, and the abduction of the five Iranian diplomats," Mottaki said, according to the state broadcaster's Web site.

Mottaki said the Foreign Ministry had "put on its agenda a series of widespread actions against these unlawful and illegal actions that are in contradiction with all international conventions," the ISNA news agency said, without giving details.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack rejected talk the five detained Iranians were diplomats.

"False. You can ask the Iraqi government and they will tell you that these were not diplomats," he told reporters in Washington.

He said the five were engaged in activities that had posed a threat to U.S. troops in Iraq.

The issue has fuelled tension between the two foes, already high because of Iran's disputed nuclear program which the West suspects is aimed at making atom bombs, a charge Iran denies.

Further souring ties, Iran is holding three U.S.-Iranians on security-related charges. Tehran has dismissed any suggestions their cases might be linked to the five Iranians held in Iraq.

McCormack reiterated a U.S. call for Iran to immediately release those U.S.-Americans it holds.

Mottaki said Iran would write to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the next few days complaining about the Security Council's "clear discrimination" in delaying putting the issue of the detained Iranians on its agenda.


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