Iran slams Saudi foreign ministry spokesman’s remarks on extradition draft

    “Apart from the draft agreement for the extradition of convicts between the two countries which has been correctly pointed out by [Iranian Foreign Minister] Ali Akbar Salehi, two other drafts on judicial cooperation and transfer of convicts were discussed by the two sides during a visit to Tehran by the former Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah Bin Mohammad al-Sheikh and they have been also submitted to the Saudi side through official channels. However, despite frequent follow-ups, no answer has been given to them [by Saudi officials],” he noted on Tuesday.

Qashavi also advised the Saudi Foreign Ministry spokesman to look more closely at the documents available at his country’s foreign and Justice ministries.

In a recent interview with Arabic-language Okaz newspaper, Nogali rejected reports about imminent signing of an extradition agreement between Tehran and Riyadh.

Iran’s foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on July 24 that an extradition agreement has been prepared to be signed by Iran and Saudi Arabia, under which both countries’ criminals will be extradited to receive punishment in their respective countries.

Qashqavi also noted that Iran’s Foreign Ministry is following up on the situation of Iranian inmates in Saudi jails.

    He lamented Saudi government’s irresponsible behavior and disrespect for its international obligations, stressing that Riyadh has so far refused to grant visas to Iran’s consular delegation tasked with investigating the recent execution of a group of Iranian nationals in Saudi Arabia as well as the fate of other Iranian inmates in Saudi prisons.

Qashqavi further noted that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Saudi Ambassador to Tehran on July 28 to express the Islamic Republic’s strong objection to Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to cooperate with Iran on the matter.

On April 18, Saudi officials had executed eight Iranian sailors in the eastern city of Dammam without any legal proceedings.

On May 30, the Persian-language Tabnak news website reported that Saudi officials in Dammam have executed 10 more Iranian citizens.

The website added that a total of 25 Iranians are kept at Dammam prison and 18 of them have been executed in two stages.

The prisoners are Iranian sailors who were arrested on a fishing boat in international waters 70 miles off the coast of Saudi Arabia six years ago on charges of drug possession.