Tehran summons swiss envoy 2nd time

Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires, whose mission in Tehran represents the US interests in the country, for a second time to voice strong protest against the United States' new plotting against the Islamic Republic.In a new plot against Tehran, the US officials alleged on Tuesday that Tehran had intended to assassinate a Saudi envoy to Washington through a hitman from the notorious Mexican drug cartel, los Zetas. The Iranian foreign ministry, which was quick to reject the claim, first summoned the Swiss diplomat over the accusation a few days ago.During the second meeting on Sunday, the director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's Office of North America dismissed the US allegations a second time, but meantime reminded that the US is required by the international laws and conventions to provide Iran with consular access to Manssor Arbabsiar, an Iranian-American used-car dealer, who is alleged to be running the assassination plot for Iran. "There is no doubt that the US allegation is baseless, but presenting the personal information of the suspect (to Iran) and providing consular access to him are a duty of the US administration and any delay in doing so would be in contravention of the international laws and the US administration's undertakings," the Iranian Foreign Ministry official told the Swiss representative. The United States and Iran broke diplomatic relations in April 1980, after Iranian students seized the United States' espionage center at its embassy in Tehran. The two countries have had tense relations ever since. The Swiss embassy in Tehran represents the US interests, while Iran's diplomatic interests in the Untied States are handled by an office in the Pakistani embassy.