NEW YORK: Tehran has called for the release of 19 Iranian nationals languishing in US jails on charges of bypassing anti-Iran sanctions, turning tables on the United States, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

The US State Department when asked by the Times to respond to Iranian claims referred the question to the Department of Justice, which is yet to respond to the query, the newspaper said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said that Iran remains concerned over the fate of the prisoners and is seeking consular access to them.

She stated that some of the Iranians are still under watch even after serving their term.

“Defending these Iranians’ rights is among issues we have always demanded,” Afkham said, voicing regret that no international human rights organisation, particularly the United Nations”, has ever made comments regarding the matter.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

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