Skip to main content

Tehran accuses Israel of holding four Iranians who disappeared 34 years ago

Iran's defense minister said that Israel is holding prisoner the four Iranians who were kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982.

RTX7L8A.jpg
A picture depicting the four Iranian diplomats who were kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982 is seen during a news conference in Beirut, July 3, 2008. — REUTERS/Sharif Karim

Iran's Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan surprised many Iranians when he said that the four Iranians kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982 were still alive and being held in an Israeli prison.

Ahmad Motevaselian, military attache for Iran’s embassy in Beirut; Seyed Mohsen Mousavi, charge d'affaires at the embassy; Taghi Rastegar Moghadam, an embassy employee; and Kazem Akhavan, a photographer for an Iranian news agency were kidnapped by a Christian militia when their vehicle passed through a checkpoint in the village of Borbara on July 5, 1982.

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in