Tehran: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran has marked the 43rd anniversary of the abduction of four Iranian diplomats in Lebanon, emphasizing that the kidnapping in Beirut was a terrorist act.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the Foreign Ministry commemorated Seyed Mohsen Mousavi, Ahmad Motevaselian, Kazem Akhavan, and Taghi Rastegar-Moghaddam, who were abducted by elements affiliated with the Israeli regime. The ministry expressed solidarity with the families of the abducted diplomats.

The statement highlighted substantial evidence indicating that the Iranian diplomats were kidnapped by an armed group inside Lebanon during the Israeli regime’s occupation and were subsequently handed over to Israeli forces. The diplomats were reportedly transferred to the occupied territories.

The abduction, which took place on July 5, 1982, in Beirut, was described as a violation of international law and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. It was also classified as a
terrorist act under the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages (1979).

Iran holds the Israeli regime accountable for the abduction and hostage-taking of its nationals and is actively pursuing the matter through international bodies. The ministry acknowledged the Lebanese government’s cooperation, including its formal registration of the case with the UN in September 2008.

Iran has urged Lebanese authorities, the UN Secretary-General, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other competent international bodies to fulfill their legal and humanitarian obligations to clarify the fate of the abducted diplomats. It reiterated the proposal to form a joint fact-finding committee with Lebanon and the ICRC to investigate the case.

The Iranian diplomats, including Seyed Mohsen Mousavi, Ahmad Motevaselian, Taqi Rastegar Moghadam, and Kazzem Akhavan, were kidnapped by the Lebanese mercenary army, known as the Falangists, and were allegedly handed over to the Israeli army. Israel releas
ed contradictory reports, denying in a 2010 statement that the diplomats had been surrendered to Israel.