Deputy FM Confirms Good Health of Iran’s Abducted Diplomat in Yemen

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed that the country's diplomat, Nour-Ahmad Nikbakht who was abducted in the Yemeni capital in July, is in good health conditions.

The Iranian diplomat abducted in Yemen last July is “in complete good health”, Amir Abdollahian said.

Noting that the Yemeni officials are seriously pursuing the release of Nikbakht, he added that Iran “is closer” to securing the release of the abducted diplomat.

In relevant remarks in February, 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 also confirmed the report.

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. The news was rejected.

Abolqassem Assadi, 57, financial and consulate officer of Iran's Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, 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.