Tehran didn’t seek access to Jadhav: Iran’s envoy to Pakistan

Iran has nothing to do with Jadhav and did not demand or request from Pakistan any consular access to the Indian national, the envoy clarified.

Iran did not ask for consular access to alleged Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost has said.

File photo of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who is on death row in Pakistan on charges of 'espionage’ (PTI)

Iran has nothing to do with Jadhav and did not demand or request from Pakistan any consular access to the Indian national, the envoy clarified during a reception at the Italian embassy on Thursday.

Honardoost described as “false and baseless” media reports claiming any such demand made by Iran, saying they are part of a campaign to harm ties between Tehran and Islamabad, the Nation newspaper reported.

Earlier, foreign affairs secretary Tehmina Janjua also said no request had been received from the Iranian government for consular access to Jadhav.

She said: “Why Iran would ask for the consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, as it is not their issue.”

Earlier this week, the International Court of Justice at the Hague in the Netherlands had suspended the death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a secret Pakistani military court .

However, Islamabad said India’s move to approach ICJ in the case was an attempt to divert attention from “state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan”. Pakistani government said it is analysing the ICJ’s jurisdiction in the matter.

ICJ will start hearings on the case from May 15.