US condemns attempted kidnapping of Iranian journalist by secret agents from Tehran

The White House condemned this Wednesday an alleged plan by Iranian agents to kidnap an American-Iranian journalist in the United States.

The President’s government Joe biden phrasing “categorically“The alleged plan against journalist Masih Alinejad,” the spokesperson said. Jen psaki.

Alinejad, an Iranian-American journalist, said on Wednesday that she was “a shock“For Tehran’s alleged preparations to kidnap him in New York, and he called on the West to react firmly.

“It’s amazing, I still can’t believe that here in New York the Islamic Republic could have threatened me, follow me … To me, American-Iranian citizen, here in the territory of the United States of America, ”he told the television channel. CNN.

American justice announced Tuesday the indictment of four “Iranian intelligence agents», And accused them of wanting to kidnap Alinejad, a 44-year-old journalist and feminist activist behind the anti-veil movement in Iran.

Iran has dismissed the charges as “absurd and unfounded”. “This is not the first time that the United States has been involved in creating Hollywood scenarios,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said, Said Khatibzadeh.

Masih Alinejad, who left Iran for good in 2009, explained that Eight months ago, he received a visit from the FBI, who recommended that he leave his home in the Brooklyn neighborhood and not travel abroad. But then he did not realize the extent of the intrigue.

“The details are shocking, I met them yesterday (Tuesday)”, He said. “They followed me and wanted to put me on a boat in the direction of Venezuela! “.

Journalists critical of Tehran and dissidents have been detained abroad in the past, including some with dual nationality who “They are used as a bargaining chip in the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue”Alinejad remembers.

“What breaks my heart is that it has been for 40 years and no Western government has taken any firm action.”, He said. It was declared “disappointed“By the US government of Joe Biden.

“I hope you are taking firm action”, declared. “I want the Biden government to be strong, instead of trying to make deals” with the Iranians.

Biden restarted negotiations with Tehran in April in an attempt to salvage the 2015 international agreement to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. His predecessor Donald Trump had withdrawn from the agreement.

“I am not afraid of dying or being executed, what terrifies me is that the whole world remains silent in the face of such a regime and allows it to exercise such oppression in the United States.», Added the journalist. “It’s the worst”.

(With information from AFP)

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