Irishman believed kidnapped in southern Iran

AN Irishman and at least two Germans are being held hostage by a gang of drug smugglers in southern Iran which is reportedly demanding between €3 million and €5 million for their release.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed last night Iranian officials believe an Irish person is among a number of foreign nationals kidnapped in the southern province of Sistan -Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The kidnapping took place over a week ago, news sources in Iran said last night. The department would not disclose further details last night.

The province is regarded as one of the most dangerous areas of the otherwise relatively stable country.

It is understood the Irish person was travelling by bicycle with two German companions from Bam to Zahedan, a historic town on the Pakistan border.

The town is also on a key opium and hashish smuggling route where some 3,000 members of the Iranian security forces have died in clashes with tribal gangs over the last 20 years.

Foreign Affairs officials would only confirm that the Iranians believed an Irish citizen was among a number of people kidnapped.

The department would not comment on reports a ransom has been demanded; whether the kidnapped Irish person has been positively identified or whether members of his family have been contacted.

Staff from the embassy in Tehran have been involved in discussions with the Iranian authorities for a number of days.

Various news sources in the near east and Germany report the three were snatched last Monday near the town of Nosrat Abad, on the road between the two historic cities, both of which are on the still small but growing Iranian tourist trail.

Sources in Iran claimed a ransom demand was made, though no group came forward to claim responsibility.

Iranian security authorities, police and intelligence have been scouring the region to find the captives, which the government source described as a “most urgent” matter.

A German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said it was possible an unspecified number of Germans had been kidnapped but declined to give further details.