Iranian general's disappearance a mystery

JERUSALEM, March 5 (UPI) -- The disappearance of Iranian Gen. Ali Reza Askari in Istanbul has Arabic media suggesting the CIA or Israel abducted him, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Askari, a former general in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was last seen Feb. 7 at the Hotel Ghilan and Israel's Channel 10 reported Arab newspapers are speculating either the CIA or Israel's Mossad intelligence agency was behind his disappearance.

Askari also served in the Cabinet of former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and had flown to Turkey from Damascus for personal reasons, the report said.

Interpol is investigating but has not reported any progress in locating Askari, the Post said.