U.S. behind kidnapping of diplomat, Iran claims

Iran is blaming the United States for the abduction Sunday of an Iranian diplomat by men wearing Iraqi Army uniforms. The kidnapping of Jalal Sharafi threatens to escalate the tense standoff between Iran and the United States - and could become a major diplomatic crisis for Iraq s Shiite-dominated government.

U.S. authorities deny any role in the disappearance of Sharafi, a second secretary at the Iranian embassy. The United States has accused Iran of supporting both Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias that run abduction operations. The kidnapping occurred when uniformed gunmen blocked Sharafi's car, forced him into a vehicle and sped away.

Iraqi police then opened fire, disabling a second vehicle, arresting the four gunmen inside and taking them to a police station.

The next day, Iraqis in uniform appeared at the station, showed government badges and demanded the four suspects. The authorities complied and the men disappeared.

Spokesmen for both the Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry, which together control Iraqi security forces, said they had no idea where the suspects went.

Shiite lawmakers said they believed Sharafi was detained in an operation carried out by the Iraqi Special Operations Command, an elite unit under the direct supervision of the U.S. military.

But U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said no U.S. or coalition troops were involved in the abduction.

AP