New dates fixed for Delhi Police to visit Tehran

Home Minister P Chidambaram today said Iran government had agreed to allow Indian authorities to question some suspects who are believed to be in Iran but there was some inconvenience with the dates.

"There are some persons who we believe in Iran, who require to be questioned. So we asked the Government of Iran for permission for one of our teams to go to Iran to question them. They have agreed. But some inconvenience with the dates. I think fresh dates have been fixed. A team from the Delhi Police will go to Iran to question those persons," he said.

When asked whether Iranian Republican Guards were allegedly involved in the bombing of the car, Chidambaram said let the police team return.

The Delhi Police had sought fresh dates for sending a team to Tehran to seek help from their Iranian counterparts in its probe into the bombing of the vehicle here.

Conveying its willingness to assist Delhi Police a fortnight ago, Iran had permitted its team to carry forward its probe in that country. However, the Delhi Police could not send its team due to logistical reasons.

The visit was necessitated after the role of four Iranian nationals surfaced in the bombing that took place barely 500 metres away from the high-security residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Delhi Police has named Houshang Afshar as the main accused who had planted a bomb on the vehicle of Israeli diplomat Tal Yeshua that left her injured.

The names of three more Iranian nationals -- Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, Saeid Moradi and Mohammad Kharzei -- have also surfaced during the investigations into the case.