Telegraph UK | July 4, 2010
By Richard Spencer in Dubai
Iran lodged a written complaint alleging that the CIA had abducted one of its nuclear scientists amidst an international mystery over the fate of the man.
Shahram Amiri disappeared in Saudi Arabia while on pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Medina.
Since then a series of videos have apparently shown Amiri make and retract claims he was drugged and flown to America against his will.
Tehran said it has evidence that he is being held against his will in the United States.
The country’s foreign ministry yesterday said it had submitted its evidence to the Swiss embassy, which looks after American interests in the absence of diplomatic relations.
Neither Switzerland nor the United States has made any comment on the case.
Mr Amiri was a nuclear researcher at Tehran’s Malek Ashtar University and also worked for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation.
The Iranian government declared he had been kidnapped by the CIA with Saudi connivance.
There was speculation in the West that his disappearance was linked to the American discovery, made public in September, of a second secret Iranian uranium enrichment plant near the holy city of Qom.
ABC, the American television channel, claimed in March it had confirmation he had defected and was helping US officials.
But this revelation has since been followed by the appearance of three conflicting videotapes, each featuring a man resembling Mr Amiri.