Five Iranian officials who were kidnapped over two years ago by American troops in Iraq returned to Tehran Sunday, where their release was described as a "victory." The five diplomats were met Sunday at the Iranian capital airport by a cheering crowd.
Iran's Foreign Minster Manouchehr Mottaki in a news conference with them welcomed the men back to Iran and hailed their "courageous resistance."
On Thursday, Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazami-Qomi announced that the US had handed the five Iranians to the government of the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. According to the AP, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said earlier that the transfer, part of a U.S.-Iraq security pact, would help improve dialogue between the U.S. and Iran.
