British diplomat abducted

Press, 30 May 1987, Page 10

British diplomat abducted

NZPA-Reuter London A senior British diplomat has been abducted in Iran, the British Foreign Office said.

A spokesman said first secretary Edward Chaplin, the second most senior British diplomat in Teheran, was snatched by a group of armed men while driving in a northern suburb of the Iranian capital on Thursday.

The head of the British interests section at the Swedish Embassy in Teheran, Christopher Macrae, said the men forced Mr Chaplin, who was with his wife and two children, to stop his car and get into their own vehicle. Mr Macrae said no group had yet claimed responsibility for the abduction.

British does not have full diplomatic relations with Iran and the Swedish Embassy looks after British inerests there.

The Foreign Office spokesman said Britain had expressed serious concern to the Iranian authorities and summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires in London to ask him to help find Mr Chaplin.

He added that it was too early to determine the identity of the kidnappers.

The British Broadcasting Corporation later reported that the abduction was carried out by six armed men.

Britain has been represented by the interests section of the Swidish Embassy since 1980 when London lowered its diplomatic representation in Iran to protest against the assault ,on the United States Embassy and the taking of hostages.