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Last update - 16:17 06/03/2007
Report: Missing Iranian former defense official has 'fled to U.S.'
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service

The Iranian former deputy defense minister who disappeared in neighboring Turkey last month is said to have sought asylum in the United States. Tehran said was Ali Reza Asghari went missing while on a private trip to Turkey.

The pan-Arab newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat on Tuesday quoted high-profile sources as saying that Asghari left for the U.S. shortly after arriving in the Turkish capital.

Earlier Tuesday, Iran's top police chief accused Western intelligence services of possibly abducting Asghari, who is also a retired general in the elite Revolutionary Guards.
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Al-Sharq al-Awsat's sources, however, claim the official was not abducted but left for the United States "along with the secrets he carried."

Security was beefed up in Israeli embassies worldwide Tuesday following reports that Iran suspected the CIA and the Mossad of involvement in Asghari's disappearance.

A British newspaper reported Monday that Asghari is likely to possess information on missing Israel Air Force navigator Ron Arad.

Arad, an IAF navigator, was captured by the Lebanese Shiite Amal militia after ejecting from his warplane, shot down over southern Lebanon in 1986. Media reports have said the pro-Iranian Hezbollah took Arad from Amal security chief Mustafa Dirani the following year.

Reports have also said that members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard took Arad in 1988 and transported him to Iran.

Asghari had arrived in Turkey on a private visit from Damascus, Syria, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Tuesday.

Iran's top police chief, General Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghaddam, said Iran was investigating Asghari's fate with the cooperation of the Turkish police.

"It is likely that Asghari has been abducted by the Western intelligence services," IRNA quoted the Iranian police general as saying. The general did not elaborate.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Monday that the Iranian Embassy there had reported Asghari's disappearance and had asked Turkey's Interior Ministry to investigate.

In Israel, defense officials are concerned that there may be an attempt to kidnap embassy workers and strike Israeli targets.

According to a British Daily Telegraph report, Iranian intelligence official Asghari is also likely to have intimate knowledge of Iran's defense establishment and nuclear development program.

Although Asghari's disappearance in Turkey sparked allegations of a Mossad and CIA-linked kidnapping, Haaretz has learned that he may have defected.

Asghari served in the senior defense post under former defense minister General Ali Samahani. Israeli media have said that for many years, Asghari was the most senior Iranian intelligence official in Lebanon, with responsibility for Iran's ties with Hezbollah.

Israel Channel 10 television said late Sunday that Asghari was kidnapped on February 7, after arriving in Istanbul from Damascus, Syria
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  1.   the jokes are on you iranian fools 10:12  |  reuven 06/03/07
  2.   joke`s on everyone 12:13  |  Mike 06/03/07
  3.   Israel BE CAREFUL 13:19  |  Iranian Boy 06/03/07
  4.   Iranians BE CAREFUL- we`re all over you; everywhere 13:52  |  Dhimmi no more 06/03/07
  5.   Iranians be very careful 14:11  |  ScotGuy 06/03/07
  6.   # 3 Iranian Boy 14:58  |  Lynn 06/03/07
  7.   IRANIANBOYwhat are you going to do?Send child martyrs running 15:01  |  PETER SM 06/03/07
  8.   IRANIANBOYwhat are you going to do?Send child martyrs running 15:01  |  PETER SM 06/03/07
  9.   Iranian Leakage! 15:23  |  Infidel Victory 06/03/07
  10.   to Iranean Boy who states "Israel BE CAREFUL". - I am careful.... 15:25  |  Israel 06/03/07
  11.   3iranian boy.Food great, alcohol flows and the women are great. 15:39  |  Ali Reza Asghari 06/03/07
  12.   Iran`s fake accusations - take them to Hauge 15:43  |  justice 06/03/07
  13.   #3--Iranian Boy 15:56  |  Paul Freedman 06/03/07
  14.   Where is this guys family? 15:58  |  dg 06/03/07
  15.   The Hague 16:06  |  From the Moon 06/03/07
  16.   Oooops! What a stupidity we made! 16:23  |  Regretful Ayatollah 06/03/07
  17.   defection? 16:37  |  curious 06/03/07
  18.   Just speculation 16:57  |  Dhimmi Hendrix 06/03/07
  19.   Missing defense official`s reply to reporter`s question: 17:14  |  Yonatan 06/03/07
  20.   Be very careful Iran 18:00  |  Cherice 06/03/07
  21.   Re: #17 Syllabically fallacious 18:03  |  Motty Levi 06/03/07
  22.   Re: #18 18:08  |  Motty Levi 06/03/07
  23.   If Iranians Were Truly Free 18:30  |  Nick 06/03/07
  24.   Ahmadinejad 18:40  |  Pedro 06/03/07
  25.   Re: #24 18:58  |  Motty Levi 06/03/07
  26.   Hahahahaha. What a gag! 19:16  |  Jake 06/03/07
  27.   missing iranian 19:24  |  abdollah 06/03/07
  28.   Guess what...another lame Mossad story 19:42  |  Tim 06/03/07
  29.   #27 occupying hamasists you are very stupid 19:53  |  Omar 06/03/07
  30.   #27 Abdollah 20:37  |  R. Alkalai 06/03/07
  31.   #19 Congratulations, Yonatan! 20:38  |  Jim 06/03/07
  32.   #31....that`s funny 20:47  |  Rachel Corrie 06/03/07
  33.   Israel be careful 20:54  |  Thundermonkey 06/03/07
  34.   The Islamic Republic of Iran will soon disappear! 21:19  |  David 06/03/07
  35.   #2 IRAN BOY MAKE YOURSELF CLEAR 21:32  |  TOBIA 06/03/07
  36.   Iran pay attention 21:33  |  Twogunz 06/03/07
  37.   I hope he is in good hands 22:28  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 06/03/07
  38.   #34 just for David 22:31  |  Jim 06/03/07
  39.   Re: #34 22:32  |  Motty Levi 06/03/07
  40.   37cipora "I hope he is in good hands." 22:45  |  mossad/cia 06/03/07
  41.   The General defects 22:50  |  Nat Weinstein 06/03/07
  42.   #37 Cipora Julianna Kohn 23:10  |  Lynn 06/03/07
  43.   Ulcerland. Response to #36 23:10  |  Jim 06/03/07
  44.   # 32 Rachel Corrie 00:05  |  Lynn 07/03/07
  45.   #29 00:28  |  abdollah 07/03/07
  46.   re: #45 01:54  |  Guy 07/03/07
  47.   Almost time to strike 04:46  |  Poof 07/03/07
  48.   IRANIANBOY 10:39  |  PROUDTOBDAINFIDEL 07/03/07
  49.   Question 16:39  |  Cross 31/10/08
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