Iraq's foreign minister has asked Iran for information on the fate of three US hikers detained by Tehran after crossing the border between the two countries, he said on Saturday.
Hoshyar Zebari said he met Iranian Ambassador Hassan Kazemi Qomi on Wednesday to ask about the fate of Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal, who were detained late last month.
"I met with the Iranian ambassador and asked for information on the missing Americans and we are waiting for a response," Zebari said. He did not elaborate on the content of the meeting.
The three Americans were detained on the Iranian side of the border on July 31 after hiking through the mountains from Iraq's Kurdistan region.
A fourth American, Shon Meckfessel, did not go on the hike and stayed behind at the hotel after feeling ill.
Meckfessel has said his detained companions made "a simple and very regrettable mistake."
The US State Department has said it has still not been able to officially confirm the arrest of the three Americans by Iran.
{{/usCountry}}The US State Department has said it has still not been able to officially confirm the arrest of the three Americans by Iran.
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