US & IRAN - Iran envoy 'abducted in Baghdad'

February 6, 2007

Tuesday, 6 February 2007, 12:06 GMT

Iran envoy 'abducted in Baghdad'

Security checks are carried out in Baghdad after the abductionAn Iranian diplomat has been kidnapped by gunmen in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Tehran has confirmed.

Jalal Sharafi, the embassy's second secretary, was abducted from his car on Sunday in central Karrada district by men wearing Iraqi army uniforms. Iran condemned the kidnapping and said it held the US responsible for his life. A US military spokesman said no US or Iraqi troops were involved. The news comes amid US-Iranian tension over Iranian activities in Iraq. Last month in a dramatic pre-dawn helicopter raid, the Americans arrested five Iranians in north Iraq, prompting Iran to issue a formal protest to the US. The US has denied any involvement in the latest incident, but recently has been expressing increasing concern about alleged Iranian support for militant activity in Iraq. Correspondents say the stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme is adding to the tension. On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair accused Iran of " a strategy to create maximum trouble " in the Middle East. Identification puzzle Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told the Isna news agency that Mr Sharafi had been kidnapped by a group linked to Iraq's defence ministry " which works under the supervision of American forces " .

We've checked with our units and it was not a [multinational forces - Iraq] unit that participated in that event

Lt Col Christopher Garver,US military spokesman

" The Islamic Republic of Iran holds the American forces in Iraq responsible for the life and safety of the Iranian diplomat, " he said. Iraqi officials earlier said the gunmen were wearing uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion - a special Iraqi unit under US direction. US military spokesman in Baghdad, Lt Col Christopher Garver, could not confirm the diplomat's abduction. However, he said: " We've checked with our units and it was not a [multinational forces - Iraq] unit that participated in that event. " Mr Sharafi was reportedly kidnapped outside the Baghdad branch of the Iranian state-owned Bank Melli. But the details of the abduction are still confused. Kidnapping 'common' An Iraqi government official told Associated Press news agency there had been a gun battle and a chase after the kidnapping but the car carrying the diplomat escaped.

RISING US-IRAN TENSION

Dec 2006: US forces detain several Iranians in Iraq suspected of planning attacks. Iran says two are diplomats, who are later freed

10 Jan: US President Bush says in a major speech he will take a tough stance on Iran, whom he accuses of destabilising Iraq

11 Jan: US troops in Irbil raid a building Iran says was consulate, arresting five men

18 Jan: Iran demands the release of the five " diplomats " . The US says they are Revolutionary Guard arming Shia fighters

Blair: No Iran attack planned

Some men were captured but the New York Times quoted Iraqi officials as saying they had legitimate defence ministry identification. An official told the paper the men may have kept the identification after being dismissed. It is not thought they are still being held. The BBC's Mike Wooldridge, in Baghdad, says the fact that the kidnappers were wearing uniforms can mean anything in Baghdad. Kidnapping is common - often criminal rather than political - and frequently carried out by people in some kind of official uniform, he says. But against the background of the ongoing disagreements between the US and Iran, this is quickly becoming another source of diplomatic tension, our correspondent adds. Speaking to a committee of MPs in London, Prime Minister Tony Blair accused Iran of " a strategy to create maximum trouble " in the Middle East. Mr Blair said Tehran was trying to prevent reconciliation in Iraq. " People are alarmed at the strategy they are pursuing, " he said.

1776 US rectified chartJul 2, 1776 4:48 PM +05:00 ESTPhiladelphia, PA:USA Longitude: 75W10 Latitude: 39N57Lahiri Ayanamsha: 20:44 Dasha: VE/SA/RA/VE/VE

Planet Deg Sign Speed SA Nakshatra Lord================================================Asc 15:30 Sco Anuradha SaSun 20:39 Gem +00:57:11 WK Punarvasu Ju

Moon 07:22 Cap +14:18:36 WK U.Shadya SuMars 29:15 Tau +00:41:03 FM Mrigsira MaMercR 04:15 Can -00:19:39 CM Pushya SaJupt 14:44 Gem +00:13:35 CM Ardra RaVen 09:53 Gem +01:13:28 FM Ardra Ra

Sat 24:00 Vir +00:01:37 WK Chitra MaRahu 15:50 Can -00:00:44 FM Pushya SaKetu 15:50 Cap -00:00:44 FM Shravana Mo

True Node 365.25 Day Year - Internet Time: 951 beatsDay: Tuesday Sunrise: 4:37 AMTithi: Krishna DvitiyaYoga Pt: 1:21 Cn Yogi:Ju AviYogi:Su Dup Yogi: MoDagha Rashis: Sag Pisces

Rashi Chart******************************************************* ** 9 * * 7 ** *10* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *MO 07:22 * * * * * *KE 15:50 * 8 AS 15:30 * 6 SA 24:00* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * ** *11 * 5 * ** * * ** *12* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MER04:15* * * 2 MA 29:15 * 4 RA 15:50* * * * * * * * * * VE 09:53* * * * * * JU 14:44 * * * * * * SU 20:39 * * * * * * * * ** 1 * * 3 ** *******************************************************

Navamsha******************************************************* ** 9 * * 7 ** *10* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * VE * * * * * * * AS * * * * * 8 RA * 6 MA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * MER ** *11 JU * 5 SA * ** * * ** *12* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *MO * 2 KE * 4 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SU * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** 1 * * 3 ** *******************************************************

Venus is active in five levels of dasha. Diplomatic tension comes up as transit Venus (diplomacy), L12, comes within a 5 degree orb conjunction with transit Rahu (diplomats). Transit Mars, L6, afflicts natal Sun, L10. On Sunday, transit Venus was exactly over MEP4.

IRANApr 1, 1979 3:03 PM -04:30 AFTTeheran, Iran Longitude: 51E26 Latitude: 35N40Lahiri Ayanamsha: 23:34 Dasha:

RA/VE/JU/VE/VE

Planet Deg Sign Speed SA Nakshatra Lord================================================Asc 24:24 Can Aslesha MeSun 17:32 Pis +00:59:14 WK Revati Me

Moon 13:13 Tau +13:03:05 WK Rohini MoMars 02:03 Pis +00:46:53 CM P.Bhadra JuMercR 03:42 Pis -00:31:54 CM U.Bhadra SaJupt 05:30 Can +00:01:14 FM Pushya SaVen 10:22 Aqu +01:11:38 WK Shatbisha Ra

Sat R 14:43 Leo -00:03:36 FM P.Phalguni VeRahu 23:40 Leo -00:02:53 FM P.Phalguni VeKetu 23:40 Aqu -00:02:53 FM P.Bhadra Ju

True Node 365.25 Day Year - Internet Time: 482 beatsDay: Sunday Sunrise: 6:54 AMTithi: Shukla PanchamiYoga Pt: 4:05 Le Yogi:Ke AviYogi:Ra Dup Yogi: SuDagha Rashis: Gem Vir

Rashi Chart******************************************************* ** 5 * * 3 ** *6 * * * * * * * * * * * * * SAR14:43 * * * * * RA 23:40* * * * * * * JU 05:30 * * * * * 4 AS 24:24 * 2 MO 13:13* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * ** *7 * 1 * ** * * ** *8 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MA 02:03* * * 10 * 12 MER03:42* * * * * * SU 17:32* * * * VE 10:22* * * * * * KE 23:40 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** 9 * * 11 ** *******************************************************

Navamsha******************************************************* ** 12 * * 10 ** *1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * VE * * * * * * * * *MO * 11 AS * 9 SU * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * ** *2 KE * 8 RA * ** * * ** *3 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MER * * * * * 5 JU * 7 * * * * SAR * * * * * * * * * * * MA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** 4 * * 6 ** *******************************************************

On Sunday, transit Venus (diplomacy), L4, was badly placed in H8, exactly under the affliction of natal retrograde Saturn, L8. Transit Mercury was over natal Venus. Transit Rahu/Ketu axis is over natal Ketu/Rahu axis, and afflicts all even houses.

This incident may be more serious than it seems. Hope I am wrong.

Best wishes,

Jorge