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US follows up on detained Americans in Iran

Following the arrest of three US citizens who illegally entered Iran, the US Interest Section at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran has been trying to establish contact with them.

US State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Sunday that “the Swiss ambassador continues to work on obtaining information from Iranian authorities regarding the three Americans,” AFP reported.

The three – two men and a woman – were taken into custody on Friday, after crossing into Iranian territory through the western border with Iraq in the Kurdistan region.

Their names have not been released by the Iranian or US sides. “Out of respect for the privacy of these individuals, we are unable to provide further detail at this time,” said Wood.

However, Beshro Ahmed, media adviser for general security in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, identified the three as Shane Bower, Sara Short and Joshua Steel.

Since the break-off of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1981, the US has not had a diplomatic post in Iran and the Swiss Embassy in Tehran has been looking after US interests in the country.

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