Iraq pressing U.S. to release Iranians

By CNN

• NEW: Bush: We agree with Blair -- no quid pro quo detainee exchange
• Iraqi official says Baghdad wants release of five Iranians held by U.S.
• Not clear whether push for their release linked to 15 detained Britons
• Iranian diplomat released, returns to Tehran; not clear who kidnapped him

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry continues to push for the release of five Iranians detained during a U.S. military raid in January, Iraq's Deputy Foreign Minister Labid Abawi told CNN on Tuesday.

It was unclear whether the situation of the five Iranians had any connection to negotiations aimed at freeing 15 British sailors and marines held by Iran.

When asked if the Iranians could be released in exchange for the Britons, Abawi said "as far as we know, it's not a factor."

"We have no indication that there is any attempt by the Iranians to do an exchange," he said.

However, he did note that the release "maybe could provide some sort of good condition for the release of the sailors."

"Any problem solved maybe can help solve another problem," he said.

But a senior Iraqi foreign ministry official told The Associated Press that Iraqi efforts to obtain the five Iranians' release "will be a factor that will help in the release of the British sailors and marines."

The official quoted by AP spoke on condition of anonymity because of not being authorized to release the information.

Iran and Britain are trying to negotiate the release of the 15 Britons, held for more than a week by Iran, which has accused them of trespassing in Iranian waters. Britain and Iraq maintain they were well inside Iraqi waters. (Full story)

President Bush was asked by a reporter in Washington on Tuesday whether the United States would be willing to give up the five Iranians to help obtain release of the Britons.

"I support the Blair government's attempts to solve this issue peacefully. So we're in close consultation with the British government," he responded. "I also strongly support the prime minister's declaration that there should be no quid pro quos when it comes to the hostages."

The U.S. military said the five men are suspected of having connections to Iran's Revolutionary Guard-Quds Force, which the United States accuses of providing weapons and funding to Shiite insurgent groups in Iraq.

They were detained on January 11 in Irbil, an Iraqi Kurdish city near the Iranian border.

"We've always been assured that they will be released as soon as the investigation is complete," Abawi said Tuesday. "We have raised this matter many times and we hope that this will end soon."

Iran complained to the United Nations that the raid was in "clear violation of international conventions" because it took place at an Iranian consulate.

The United States maintains its forces raided an Iranian liaison office that does not have the same diplomatic status as a consulate.

The Geneva Conventions state that embassies and foreign missions in countries are immune from search, arrest and detention.
Iranian diplomat released

Abawi also told CNN that a top Iranian diplomat seized by gunmen in Baghdad two months ago was released Tuesday.

Jalal Sharafi, deputy secretary of the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, arrived in Tehran a few hours after his release, according to Iran's semiofficial FARS news agency.

Abawi said he received a diplomatic note from the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, confirming Sharafi had been released. He had no other details on his condition or who was responsible for his kidnapping.

Sharafi was abducted on February 4 in front of a branch of the Iranian state-owned Bank Melli in central Baghdad.

The U.S. military did not have any role in finding or releasing Sharafi, but would have provided assistance if it had been requested, military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver told CNN.

According to Iran's Students News Agency, Sharafi's kidnappers were wearing uniforms similar to those of Iraqi security forces.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini had said those responsible for the kidnapping "acted under U.S. supervision." He also said he held the United States responsible for the release of the diplomat, IRNA reported.

The United States has denied any role in the kidnapping.

CNN's Jennifer Deaton contributed to this report.