Iranian parliament planning to probe into assassination of diplomat in Yemen

A senior Iranian lawmaker voiced the parliament's serious concern over the security conditions in Yemen, and called on the Yemeni officials to do their best to identify the agents behind the assassination and abduction of two Iranian diplomas in Sana'a. “Definitely, the issue (Saturday assassination of Iranian cultural attaché in Sana'a Abolqassem Assadi) will be examined in the first session of the commission and to learn about the investigation process and the follow-ups by the Foreign Ministry, the country’s diplomatic apparatus will be questioned,” Vice-Chairman of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mansour Haqiqatpour said Saturday. Haqiqatpour also pointed to the last-year abduction of Iranian diplomat in Yemen Nour-Ahmad Nikbakht and noted that the Foreign Ministry should follow up both issues seriously until the culprits are identified. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham announced that the Iranian diplomat who was shot by unknown assailants in Sana’a on succumbed to his injuries. Afkham expressed deep regret over the death of the Iranian diplomat in the Yemeni capital, and said, “The Iranian diplomat, who was attacked by unknown gunmen, has died due to severe injuries.” The Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman pointed to the terrorist attack in Sana’a, and explained, “A terrorist group attacked an Iranian embassy’s diplomat in a Sana’a street and tried to kidnap him, but due to the resistance shown by the diplomat they have started shooting.” Afkham strongly condemned the Saturday terrorist attack on the Iranian diplomat, and said, “Iran is seriously following up the terrorist attack with the concerned Yemeni officials.” Also, in July 2013, unknown assailants abducted the Iranian embassy staff member, Nikbakht, in Safr street in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.