According to Khabar Online correspondent, eight technicians, including five Iranian electrical engineers who were working at Jandar power plant project in Homs, west Syria were abducted on Wednesday, December 21.
Almost 3 days after the incident, it was reported that two other Iranian professionals who were trying to clarify the fate of the five kidnapped engineers were also abducted.
In the meantime, Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has spoken on his discussions with Syrian officials to find out about their whereabouts and condition. He also said that the Iranian embassy in Damascus is moving in all Iranian staff working in Homs port to a safe place.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem during a telephone conversation with Salehi on Sunday also said his government will do its best to find the kidnapped Iranian specialists and return them to home.
Attending a news conference in Tehran, Syrian ambassador responded to the questions on the issue and stressed: "God willing Syrian Arab Republic spares no effort to discover who are behind the abduction of Iranian engineers and returning them to their country."
"From the beginning of March, the United States and the Zionist regime have fomented unrest in Syria causing the protesters to chant slogans against Iran, Syria and Hezbollah," Hamed Hasan said.
"Such motions disclose their conspiracy against Iran and Syria. As a matter of fact, the United States and Israel have plotted to back the opposition armed forces by providing financial support and armaments and provoke the unrest," he added.
"But in the case of abducted Iranian specialists, I should point out that in our view Iranians are even more respected and valuable than Syrians and such actions are painful and ignominious. Those Iranian professionals were working in line with development in Syria."
Syria has been shaken by unrest and armed combat during the past months as demonstrations being held against the government. Thousands of people have been reportedly killed in clashes since the beginning of the turmoil in March.
Syrian opposition claims that Iran is backing Bashar al-Assad government to quell the protests. Denying such claim, Iran has said it condemns any foreign interference, especially those by the United States and Israel in Syria which are means for weakening the resistance, and welcomes reforms Syrian government is to implement.
