JOIN USPak says Iran scientist in US fled to its embassy
Iranian officials were “making arrangements for his repatriation,” said Abdul Basit, a spokesman at the Pakistan Foreign Ministry. It was not clear how or when the scientist would leave the country.
The scientist, Shahram Amiri, 32, vanished during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in June 2009. He had worked at Iran’s Malek Ashtar University, which is linked to the powerful Revolutionary Guards.
The United States government has never acknowledged Amiri’s existence, or admitted to a role in his disappearance.“He is not in the Pakistani Embassy, per se,” Basit said. “He is at the Iranian interests section, which is manned by Iranian nationals.” He added, “We understand that they are making arrangements for his repatriation.”
Basit declined to comment on how the Iranian scientist entered the mission section.
Earlier on Tuesday, Press TV, an Iranian state-run broadcaster, said Amiri had “reportedly taken refuge in Iran’s interest section in Washington, urging an immediate return to the country.”
The development was the latest in a series of confusing statements concerning the scientist.In June, Iran publicised what it called a videotaped statement from Amiri purporting to prove its claim about the scientist’s disappearance. But a second videotape posted on the Internet showed a man who identified himself as the scientist and who claimed to be studying in the US.