US has illegally held Iranian citizens

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the United States has detained and held eight Iranian nationals illegally and based on false allegations.

President Ahmadinejad, in the US to participate in the United Nations annual General Assembly meeting, emphasized in an interview with the Russian TV on Monday that the Iranian captives were arrested in third countries by US agents under “false accusations” and transferred here to US jails, ISNA reported.

“This is abduction and does not fit in with any legal systems. They (Iranians) had traveled to other countries with official visas but were arrested by Americans.”

“Americans have not observed international law. They should review their conduct and allow the detainees to return home.”

Iran last week released Sarah Shourd, one of the three US nationals arrested in July 2009 for illegally entering the country at a sensitive Iraqi border area.

The three Americans were charged with espionage after the Tehran prosecutor cited “compelling evidence” that the trio were collaborating with US intelligence agencies.

President Ahmadinejad rejected that the release of the other two Americans depended on the release of the Iranian nationals and said legal proceedings have to take their course.

Following the release of Shourd, the Iranian chief executive called for the release of the eight Iranians held captive in the US, pointing to Iran’s humanitarian gesture in releasing Shourd.