India seeks 3 Iranian suspects in Israel diplomat attack

Businessweek -- India issued arrest warrants for three Iranians it has identified as suspects in last month’s attack on an Israeli diplomat’s car, a strike that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed on Iran.

Indian authorities are seeking “red corner notices” for the three wanted people, India’s foreign ministry spokesman, Syed Akbaruddin, said in a statement that was posted on the ministry’s website, an apparent reference to the messages Interpol issues to police forces worldwide.

Delhi police named the Iranians as Houshang Afshar Irani, Seyed Ali Mahdiansadr and Mohammadreza Abolghasemi. Police last week arrested an Indian journalist, Syed Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi, 50, who is believed to have worked for Iranian media. Kazmi facilitated the attack, police said in a statement.

The wife of an Israeli diplomat, her driver and two passengers in a nearby vehicle were hurt Feb. 13 when a magnetic device exploded after being attached to the diplomat’s car on a south Delhi street. India and Iran have close ties that have come under strain as the U.S. and the European Union press for tighter sanctions on the Islamic regime over its nuclear program.

Attacks linked to Iran in New Delhi, Tbilisi and Bangkok over two days in mid February increased tensions as Israeli leaders, who haven’t ruled out a military strike, say time is running out for sanctions to deter Iran from building nuclear weapons. Iran insists that its atomic program is strictly for civilian energy and medical research.
Oil Trade

India and Iran have struggled to preserve $9.5 billion in annual crude oil trade after the Reserve Bank of India dismantled a mechanism used to settle payments in euros and dollars. Iran’s ambassador to India, Mahdi Nabizadeh, in February rejected charges his country was behind the attack in the Indian capital.

India hopes for cooperation from Iranian authorities to bring those involved in the attack to justice, Akbaruddin said. “Investigations in the case are ongoing and no conclusions can be drawn at this stage,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bibhudatta Pradhan in New Delhi at [email protected]