UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonhas condemned the recent assassination of an Iranian diplomat in Yemen, calling for the perpetrators of the "crime" to be brought to justice.Speaking at a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, Farhan Haq, the associate spokesman for the UN chief, said that Ban has expressed his condolences to the family of the assassinated commercial attach of the Iranian Embassy in Sanaa, Abolqasem Asadi, and the Iranian government over the incident.
Haq said Ban is concerned that terrorist attacks and hostage-taking are going on in Yemen, and calls for the immediate release of all hostages in Yemen.
He recalled that according to the 1979 International Convention, hostage-taking is an offence of grave concern to the international community.
On January 18, Asadi was gunned down by members of a terrorist group outside the Iranian ambassadors residence in the Yemeni capital.
The assailants first tried to kidnap the Iranian diplomat but when they faced resistance, opened fire on him. The diplomat who was seriously injured passed away in hospital.
Following the incident, Irans Foreign Ministry summoned the Yemeni charg d'affaires to protest the incident. The Foreign Ministry reminded the Yemeni Embassy official that under international rules and regulations, governments are responsible for the security of foreign diplomats.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Iranian Expatriates Affairs Hassan Qashqavi said on January 22 that Tehran will soon dispatch a delegation to Yemen to investigate the assassination.
Meanwhile, Yemens Foreign Ministry has denounced the attack, stating that authorities are determined to bring the attackers to justice.
By Press TV
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