Missing Iranian forcing Saudis to 'shirk' duties

After Saudi Arabia rejected claims of involvement in the abduction of an Iranian scientist during a pilgrimage to Mecca, Iran said Wednesday the Saudi approach is in violation of its diplomatic responsibilities.

A diplomat at the Iranian Foreign Ministry talked of numerous correspondence and meetings between the Islamic Republic and Saudi officials aimed at resolving the case of the missing Iranian national Shahram Amiri.

Amiri, a researcher at Iran's University of Malek Ashtar, went missing during a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June.

The diplomat said "unfortunately, the Saudi officials have made every effort to address the issue as vague as possible."

"This approach is in violation of official duties of this country," added the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

On Tuesday, Tehran accused Riyadh of handing Amiri over to American officials.

The Iranian government had previously called on Saudi authorities to resolve the missing scientist's case with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki saying the kingdom is "responsible" for Amiri's situation.

Reacting to Iran's stance, a spokesperson for the Saudi Foreign Ministry told local media on Wednesday that he was "stunned" by the claim.

The US State Department, for its part, said it had "no information" about the whereabouts of Amiri.

Meanwhile, the diplomat asserted that Iran had concrete evidence that Amiri had been kidnapped by American agents, saying that according to international conventions, the US and Saudi governments are responsible for the fate of the missing Iranian scientist.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=113314§ionid=351020101.