AhlulBayt News Agency: On the 43rd anniversary of the 1982 abduction of four Iranian diplomats in Lebanon, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has once again condemned the incident as an act of terrorism. The ministry reiterated that the Israeli regime bears full responsibility for the kidnapping and called for the formation of a joint fact-finding committee to uncover the fate of the missing diplomats.
The diplomats—Ahmad Motovasselian, Mohsen Mousavi, Taqi Rastegar Moqaddam, and Kazem Akhavan—were abducted on July 4, 1982, by armed groups affiliated with Israel during the occupation of Lebanese territory. Iran maintains that the men were handed over to Israeli forces and transferred to the occupied territories.
The ministry emphasized that the abduction violated international law, including the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and constitutes terrorism under the 1979 Convention Against the Taking of Hostages. Tehran expressed appreciation for Lebanon’s cooperation, including its 2008 correspondence with the UN Secretary-General.
Iran renewed its call on the Lebanese government, the United Nations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to fulfill their legal and humanitarian obligations in pursuing the case. It also reiterated its proposal to form a joint investigative committee with Lebanon and the Red Cross.
Despite admissions by members of the Lebanese Forces Group regarding their role in the kidnapping, the fate of the four diplomats remains unknown. Iranian officials and the victims’ families believe the men are still alive and imprisoned in Israeli jails.
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