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Iranian security forces detain Spanish consul in Tehran (UPDATE)

Iran Materials 15 February 2011 11:09 (UTC +04:00)

The details were added after the first paragraph (the first version was posted at 08:18)

A Spanish consul in Tehran was detained by Iranian special services for a certain period on Feb. 14, dpa reported with reference to Spanish media as saying.

Advisor for consular affairs Ingacio Perez Cambra was apprehended by several plain-clothes officers Monday outside the Spanish embassy where he worked.

The 42-year-old diplomat was held in a police station for foreigners for four and a half hours before he was released, dpa reported.

According the online edition of daily El Pais, the consul was out for a walk with the Spanish ambassador at the same time as anti-government demonstrators went ahead with a planned protest despite warnings from the authorities.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has summoned Iranian Ambassador Madrid Morteza Saffari Natanzi, and Foreign Minster Trinidad Jimenez sent a note of verbal protest to the Iranian authorities, calling the incident "inacceptable" and "very serious," the reports said.

Spain has also called off an upcoming visit by a senior official of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

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