Iran frees Kuwaiti man after diplomatic efforts

KUWAIT: Iran released a Kuwaiti citizen who was handed over to the Kuwaiti embassy yesterday after four days of confinement that involved coordination on high diplomatic levels to secure his release. “We received citizen Adel Al-Huwal from the Iranian authorities and he is in good condition,” Kuwaiti ambassador in Tehran Majdi Al-Thafiri confirmed. Arrangements were underway to send him back home to his family as soon as possible, he added.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry had launched coordinated efforts to secure Huwal’s release after news emerged about his arrest in Shiraz. It summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires and made an official request to release him. Huwal was reportedly questioned on charges of offending the Iranian regime as well as verbal assault charges pressed by staff member of a hotel he was staying in.

Earlier reports suggested that a quarrel started when the staff member asked Huwal to reduce the volume of an audio recording of the Holy Quran, after which he made the verbal assault. Thafiri praised the cooperation of the Iranian authorities, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Security Ministry and other departments for securing release of the Kuwaiti citizen. Such cooperation on part of the Iranian authorities reflects high level of understanding between the two countries and distinctive status of Kuwaiti-Iranian ties, he added.