CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A Venezuelan diplomat says President Hugo Chavez played a behind-the-scenes role in efforts to win freedom for two Americans who were released from prison by Iran this week.
Deputy Foreign Minister Temir Porras says Venezuela was approached for help last year by friends of Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer as well as by intellectuals and activists who were pressing for their release.
Porras tells The Associated Press in a phone interview that Chavez believed the Americans' account that they were only hiking when detained along the Iran-Iraq border and accused of spying.
He says Chavez last year urged Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to have Iranian authorities review the case and consider freeing them as a humanitarian measure
No comments:
Post a Comment