UN Chief Condoles with Iran over Death of Iranian Diplomat in Yemen

(FNA)- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in a letter to Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazayee, expressed his condolences to the Iranian people and government over the death of Tehran’s commercial attaché Abolqassem Assadi in a recent terrorist attack in Yemen.

“Expressing deep regret over the assassination of Iranian diplomat Mr. Abolqassem Assadi, who was working at your country’s embassy in Sanaa, in the terrorist attack on January 18, I hereby ask you to convey my regret and sympathy to the bereaved family of Mr. Assadi and also the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the UN secretary-general said.

He noted that the assassination of Assadi took place two months after twin bombings in front of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, which resulted in the death of many innocent people, including the Iranian embassy staff, and said, “Committing such crimes is unacceptable and its perpetrators should be punished.”

Ban also voiced his solidarity with the Iranian government in its efforts to guarantee the freedom of another Iranian embassy staff member in Yemen, Ahmad Nikbakht who was abducted on July 21, 2013 in Sanaa.

Last week, Yemen's Interior Ministry and its security forces confirmed that Nikbakht is alive and is in good condition.

Yemeni chargé d'affaires to Tehran Abdullah Ali Alserri confirmed the news.

Alserri said the Yemeni officials and security forces are responsible for following up the fate of the Iranian diplomat abducted by the terrorist groups on July 21, 2013.

He reiterated that the Yemeni security forces have made great efforts to help release Nikbakht.

Late in January, foreign media reported that a dead body had been found in Marib, Yemen. They said it belonged to the kidnapped Iranian diplomat. But the report was denied a few hours later.

Abolqassem Assadi, 57, financial and consulate officer of Iran's Embassy in Sanaa was another Iranian diplomat assassinated by gunmen in the center of the city on January 18.

The Yemeni chargé d' affaires underlined that the assassination was aimed at sabotaging Tehran-Sana'a relations.