"European tourists freed by Iran kidappers": FM
Sunday, December 28, 2003
IranMania News
TEHRAN, Dec 28 (AFP) -- One Irish and two German tourists kidnapped in southeastern Iran earlier this month have been released and are in good health, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said Sunday.
"The three hostages have been freed and are safe and sound," Kharazi told state television.
"All three are in good health," the minister said, without elaborating on the circumstances of their release.
Earlier Sunday, deputy interior minister Ali Afghar Ahmadi had announced that he expected the tourists to be freed "very soon."
The trio were kidnapped by bandits while cycling near Nosrat Abad, on the road between the ancient city of Bam, which was devastated by an earthquake Friday, and Zahedan near the border with Pakistan.
Their kidnappers, who the government believes are drug smugglers disgruntled by the police seizure of a consignment, had demanded a five million euro (six million dollar) ransom.
Iran had said it would not pay the ransom, and asked Germany and Ireland to also not give in to blackmail.
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