The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has sent an official protest note to the German Foreign Ministry for claiming the Iranian ambassador had been summoned in connection with two German journalists detained in Tabriz, IRNA reported Wednesday.
Iran's diplomatic mission referred to statements by a German foreign ministry spokesman who alleged Monday that Iran's top diplomat in Berlin Ali Reza Sheikh Attar had been called in to the ministry when in fact it was only a regular and pre-planned meeting with German deputy foreign minister, Wolf-Ruthart Born.
The Iranian embassy reiterated the recent meeting between the two German
reporters detained in Tabriz and their families was made possible following a friendly request by the German government and indicated Tehran's goodwill on the matter.
The journalists - who had entered Iran on tourist visas - were arrested on October 10 when they tried to interview the son and lawyer of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, a woman convicted of helping to murder her husband.
The mother of the photographer and the reporter's sister had reportedly
travelled to Tehran last week to visit their detained relatives.