Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and his Libyan counterpart Ashour bin Khayal discussed the latest developments in the two countries' efforts to free the 7 Iranian Red Crescent workers abducted by armed groups in the North African state.

During the phone conversation on Saturday, Salehi underlined necessity of efforts to release the Iranian nationals.

The Libyan minister expressed the hope that Iranian aid workers could be released with the efforts of the Libyan government.

Earlier this week, a senior Iranian foreign ministry official said that Iran and Libya agreed to jointly pursue the freedom of aid workers.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Expatriates' Affairs Hassan Qashqavi announced that Iran and Libya have set up a joint coordinating committee to pursue the fate of kidnapped Iranian nationals.

He added that the committee was set up during his visit to Libya to discuss the freedom of the abductees.

The Libyan Red Crescent said in a statement earlier this month that armed men have kidnapped a seven-member delegation from the Iranian Red Crescent visiting Benghazi.

The Iranians were heading to the Tibesti hotel when an armed group intercepted them. They were loaded into a different car and whisked away to an unknown location, the statement added.

The driver of the vehicle, a local volunteer, was not taken. The delegation arrived in Libya early August at the invitation of the Libyan Red Crescent.
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News ID 182492