Three Western tourists kidnapped in Iran

Reuters ^ | Mon 8 December | Reuters

[F14 Pilot]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Three Western tourists have been kidnapped in southeastern Iran, an Interior Ministry spokesman says.

He declined to give details of the circumstances of the kidnapping or the nationalities of those involved. He told Reuters on Monday the tourists were kidnapped in the Sistan-Baluchestan province close to Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

A spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin said it was possible an unspecified number of Germans had been kidnapped but declined to provide further details.

"There are indications that Germans are possibly involved. I cannot add anything else," she said. "The foreign ministry has set up a crisis team."

Sistan-Baluchestan province is a major smuggling route used by well-armed drug runners moving heroin from Afghanistan to western Europe.

Kidnapping of Westerners is extremely rare in Iran, which has been trying to promote itself as a tourist destination in recent years.

Earlier on Monday, diplomats and government sources said at least two Westerners had been kidnapped.

[gg188]

They must have seen the "Come See Beautiful Iran" travel brochure. You know, the one with the Ayotollah beckoning, and all the happly students and women in bathing suits in the background.

[nuconvert]

Let's hope this doesn't start a trend

[Blood of Tyrants]

"But we're not Americans"!

[Guillermo]

"But you're not Muslims!"

[whattajoke]

These 3 are almost Darwin Award candidates

[Blood of Tyrants]

They just don't get it.

[norton]

They were runners up in a travel agency contest;

winner got North Korea.

[Michael81Dus]

It´s confirmed now, two of the three hostages are German, the other is Irish. Prayers needed!

[Prodigal Son]

Besides Iran, which other countries would qualify one for the Darwin Award if one travelled to them?