Iran denies death of diplomat abducted in Yemen

Tehran has denied reports of the death of an Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Yemen back in July.

“According to the existing information, Nour Ahmad Nikbakht is in good health,” said Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Monday.

Nikbakht, an administrative staff member at the Iranian Embassy in Yemen, was on his way to work from his home in the diplomatic quarter of the capital Sana’a on July 21 when unidentified gunmen blocked the road, forced him out of his vehicle and abducted him.

“Joint efforts are underway by Sana’a and Tehran to secure his release,” Amir-Abdollahian added.

The top diplomat said an Iranian delegation is to visit Sana’a to pursue the issue later this week following a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif and his Yemeni counterpart Abu Bakr Abdullah al-Qirbi on December 17.

Zarif called on the Yemeni government to utilize all the means at its disposal to secure the safe return of the abducted Iranian diplomat, stressing it falls upon Sana’a to guarantee Nikbakht’s safe return.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has already summoned the Yemeni chargé d’affaires twice to express Tehran’s concern over the fate of the diplomat and to remind Sana’a that it is responsible for Nikbakht’s safety.