Iran condemns kidnapping of its attache

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Iran strongly condemned the abduction of a diplomat in Pakistan's insurgency-plagued northwest region, an act Pakistan blamed on the Taliban.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said the abduction of Heshmatollah Attarzadeh, commercial attache of the Iranian consulate in Peshawar, was an "act of terrorism," Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

Attarzadeh was kidnapped Thursday by gunmen, who killed his guard as the two were on their way to the consulate. Peshawar is the capital of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province.

IRNA quoted Qashqavi as saying Pakistan is "seriously responsible for immunity of the diplomat" under international convention and urged Islamabad to "do its best to protect foreign diplomats and their residential places."

Rehman Malik, interior affairs adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, blamed the local Taliban for the incident, Xinhua reported.

Pakistani assured Iran it will use all its resources to locate its diplomat and return him to safety.