WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The United States denies responsibility for the apparent kidnapping of an Iranian diplomat in Baghdad by armed Iraqis wearing military uniforms.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said Tuesday "all we know is that the Iraqi government is investigating it. And obviously, we abide by and support the Vienna Convention for diplomats."
Reports from Baghdad said Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary at the Iranian embassy, was abducted while traveling in a car in central Baghdad Sunday. The gunmen were reportedly wearing Iraqi army uniforms.
Iran's national news agency later quoted a government official as saying the kidnappers were from a special unit that reports directly to U.S. military forces and that Iran was holding the United States responsible for Sharafi's safety.
The Iraqi government is investigating the incident.
Tensions between Iran and the United States are already high. Washington accuses Tehran of meddling in Iraq by sending agents into the country and supplying insurgents with weapons. Earlier, U.S. forces had detained a number of Iranians in northern Iraq.
