Envoy to meet five Iranians detained in Iraq

An Iranian envoy is to be allowed to meet the five Iranians detained by US forces in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil, state media reported today.

“A representative from the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad will meet” the detained Iranians, the official Islamic Republic News Agency said.

In Baghdad, US military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver had no immediate comment.

US military officials have accused the Iranians of having links to a network supplying funds and weapons to insurgents in Iraq.

Iran denies this, saying that its detainees are diplomats.

The Iranian news agency said the US military had until refused to allow an Iranian diplomat to see the detainees.

It reported that the Iranian embassy had been pursuing the case through the Iraqi government and the UN offices in Baghdad.

A brief summary of the agency report was carried on Al-Alam, Iran’s official Arabic-language television service.