WANA (July 05) – On the 42nd anniversary of the abduction of four Iranian diplomats in Lebanon—Messrs. Seyed Mohsen Mousavi, Ahmad Motevaselian, Kazem Akhavan, and Taqi Rastegar Moghaddam—by agents affiliated with the Zionist regime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran honors the memory of these national heroes and expresses sympathy with their families.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, recalling the decades-long history of crimes committed by the Zionist regime against the peoples of the region, including the ongoing genocide in Palestine, re-emphasizes the necessity of clarifying the fate of the four abducted Iranian diplomats.

 

It holds the Zionist regime, as the occupying force in Lebanon at the time of the diplomats’ abduction, politically and legally responsible for this crime.

 

Despite the intensive political, legal, and international efforts and follow-ups by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the past 42 years, which led to the declaration of cooperation by the then-Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2008, the international community, particularly human rights organizations, has yet to take effective action to help determine the fate of these diplomats.

 

In this context, we once again emphasize the responsibility of the United Nations and human rights organizations, including the International Red Cross, to diligently pursue this case until the desired outcome of determining the fate of these dear ones is achieved.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also appreciates the commendable actions and cooperation of the friendly and brotherly government of the Republic of Lebanon in recent years.

 

It underscores the need for continued efforts and actions by the official political and judicial institutions and the government of Lebanon, as the host country, to determine the fate of the diplomats of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

Furthermore, it reiterates the proposal to form a joint fact-finding committee between the two countries, in cooperation with international bodies, to diligently pursue the fate of these dear ones.