Swiss envoy in Tehran summoned again over US claims

Foreign ministry once again summoned Swiss Charge d’affaires to Iran, Livia Leu Agosti on Sunday over false claims by the US government regarding alleged link between Iran and an individual named Mansour Arbab-Sayyar arrested in the US. A Foreign Ministry official said that there is no doubt that the US allegations against Iran are baseless and fabricated while emphasizing on the fact that the accused person who holds dual Iranian-US nationality should be provided with his consular rights and any delay thereof contradicts international law. The Swiss charge d'affaires Livia Leu Agosti said Tehran's letter of protest will be conveyed to the US Department of State and their response will be also relayed to Iran as soon as possible. The Swiss Embassy in Tehran has a section which represents the US interests in Iran since 1980 when Tehran and Washington severed their diplomatic relations. Last Tuesday, the US Justice Department accused Iran of plotting to assassinate Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir, with the help from a suspected member of a Mexican drug cartel. Islamic Republic of Iran says the hue and cry by Washington is an attempt to divert international attention from the anti-corruption and anti-corporatism protests currently underway in the US. Iran's permanent envoy to the UN, Mohammad Khazaei, has already filed a complaint against the US government for what he called an “evil plot.” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has described the US accusations as immature scenario and noted that the US officials will be eventually forced to apologize from Iran.