Freed Iran diplomat says he was tortured in Iraq

TEHRAN: An Iranian diplomat kidnapped and held captive in Iraq for almost two months described on Wednesday being tortured and interrogated by captors including an "American" linked to the US embassy.   

Jalal Sharafi, who was pushed into a room for a news conference in a wheelchair while a medical team held his drip, did not repeat comments to Iranian media that he was questioned by the CIA but showed scars he said were a result of his ordeal.   

He said he was at times blindfolded, gagged and threatened with mock executions. His medical team described physical and psychological injuries.   

US officials denied any role in his abduction or detention but Iran blamed Washington at the time he was seized on Feb. 4.   

Sharafi was freed on April 3, shortly before 15 British sailors and marines held by Iran for 13 days were released and returned to Britain, where they also briefed the press and described ill-treatment at the hands of their Iranian captors.   

British, US and Iranian officials have all denied any connection between the Britons and any Iranians held in Iraq, but Sharafi's news conference echoed the one by the Britons and the first Iranian journalist to ask a question made the link.   

"I am very sorry that the soldiers of a country to claim to be the main administerer of freedom have done this to you, while the British soldiers left Iran in very good condition," the journalist said.   

In earlier comments to Iranian media, Sharafi had said he was tortured "under the supervision of the CIA".   

Asked how he knew the CIA was involved, he said: "Though I do not know the English language, through the Arabic translator, I found out he was American. He said he was in connection with the US embassy."       

Sharafi said the "American", whose presence heralded some "harsh tortures" such as beatings with cables on his feet and threats, wanted him to say Iran was interfering in Iraq.   

Washington accuses Iran of meddling in Iraq, a charge Tehran denies. Iran blames the US occupation for spiralling violence. Sharafi was speaking in Farsi and his comments were translated into English for the foreign journalists present.   

He described being bundled between locations in Iraq. One location near Baghdad airport had electricity 24 hours a day, when most of Baghdad has daily power cuts, he said, and this showed that his captors were "not a mere terrorist group".   

Sharafi said Iraqi officials had told their Iranian counterparts in meetings that "those people who abducted me were agents from the intelligence department of Iraq".   

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said when Sharafi was freed that the Iranian was in good health and did not know who had held him.   

Sharafi thanked Iraqi officials, including Zebari, for their efforts to secure his release.