A group of Iraqi travelers were kidnapped in Iran, possibly related to human trafficking, according to Ahmed al-Sahhaf, spokesperson for the Iraqi foreign ministry, on Wednesday.
The incident has led to increased diplomatic and security negotiations between Baghdad and Tehran in the past week.
According to al-Sahhaf, the Iraqi foreign ministry has been closely monitoring the situation with concern for over a week. They have received important information and instructed their embassy in Tehran to communicate with the relevant Iranian authorities.
Throughout recent days, film showing the stole Iraqis shackled in chains has brought the virtual entertainment into storm.
The specialized agencies in both capitals have conducted high-level security discussions.
“Unfortunately, those Iraqi nationals were locked in with a human pilfering association. They were baited, catured, and are presently being kept prisoner for recover,” al-Sahhaf added.
Our collaboration with the Iranian side is at a high level. We recently received promising intelligence about the location and exact number of the abductees. Unfortunately, the network behind this act is known to traffic humans, and these Iraqis tried to enter Iran illegally, only to be ensnared by this group.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has warned of the dangers associated with engaging with human trafficking networks as it puts the lives of traveling citizens at great risk.
