Lebanese president seeks information on missing Iranian diplomats

October 1st, 2009 Lebanese say UAE pressed them to spy on HezbollahBEIRUT — A Lebanese businessman alleged Thursday that he and several hundred other Lebanese were expelled from the United Arab Emirates country because they refused to spy on the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and other fellow citizens. Hassan Alayan said more than 300 Lebanese — mostly Shiites — have been forced to leave the Emirates over the past three months.

September 25th, 2009 US, Canada ask Iran to resolve humanitarian casesNEW YORK — The U.S. and Canada are making a joint plea to Iran to resolve several cases of Americans and Canadians detained or missing in Iran.

August 1st, 2009 US seeks Swiss help with missing Americans in IranWASHINGTON — The State Department says it's aware of Iranian media reports that three American citizens have been detained in Iran. Spokesman Robert Wood says the U.S.

July 15th, 2009 UN says south Lebanon weapons cache a violationBEIRUT — The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon said Wednesday ammunition which had exploded in a southern village was a "serious violation" of the U.N.-brokered ceasefire that ended a monthlong war between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces three years ago.

June 24th, 2009 No Iranian envoys to attend July 4 partiesWASHINGTON — The State Department says no Iranian diplomat has accepted an invitation from U.S. diplomatic posts abroad to attend embassy Fourth of July parties.

June 19th, 2009 BEIRUT - The Lebanese Army Friday accused Israel of violating the Lebanese border by establishing an observation post in a restricted area on the outskirts of the Kfarshouba hills. "In clear violation of a restricted area of Lebanese territory, and in an attempt to impose a new reality on the ground, the Israeli enemy Wednesday set up an observation post at the edge of Kfarshouba and a military position overlooking Baathaeel pond," a Lebanese army statement said.

June 8th, 2009 Obama congratulates Lebanese on voteWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is congratulating the Lebanese people for a peaceful national election held with "courage" and a "commitment to democracy." The Sunday vote produced a clear defeat for Hezbollah, the Iranian-back Islamic militant group that the United States classifies as a terrorist organization. "Once more, the people of Lebanon have demonstrated to the world their courage and the strength of their commitment to democracy," the Obama statement said, without reference to Hezbollah.

May 9th, 2009 BEIRUT - Lebanese security authorities have arrested three members of the same family on suspicion of spying for Israel, a Lebanese security source said Friday. 'A man, his wife and his brother were seized from their home in the town of Ghaziyeh, near the southern port of Sidon ...

April 25th, 2009 3 arrested in Lebanon on Israel spy chargesBEIRUT — Lebanese authorities arrested three men early Saturday for allegedly being part of a spying ring for Israel, security officials said, in the latest episode in the long-running espionage war between the two countries. Agents grabbed the three — two Lebanese and a Palestinian — from their homes in southern Lebanon during a raid early Saturday, security officials said.

April 25th, 2009 3 men arrested for allegedly spying for IsraelBEIRUT — Lebanese authorities arrested three men early Saturday for allegedly being part of spying ring for Israel, security officials said, in the latest episode in the long-running espionage war between the two countries. Agents grabbed the three — two Lebanese and a Palestinian — from their homes in southern Lebanon during a raid early Saturday, security officials said.

April 19th, 2009 PORT OF SPAIN - US President Barack Obama is 'deeply disappointed' by Iran's sentencing of an American-Iranian journalist, the White House said. Roxana Saberi, who worked for international news organisations in Iran for years, was sentenced to eight years in prison by an Iranian court Saturday on charges of spying for the US.

February 12th, 2009 ARBIL - The new US administration has been urged by Iran to release the Iranian diplomats held in Iraq as the first step to realise 'change' promised by President Barack Obama, Mehr News reported. 'American officials (should) release Iranian diplomats as the first move toward realising the ‘change slogan’ by the new US administration,' Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said while reopening the Iranian consulate in Arbil Thursday.

February 5th, 2009 TEHRAN - Christian Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea has admitted that the four Iranian diplomats who went missing in Lebanon in 1982 were kidnapped at Alberiareh checkpoint and later killed, Mehr News reported Friday. However, Geagea late Wednesday refused to say how the diplomats were abducted.

January 29th, 2009 BEIRUT - Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora has hit back at Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah for holding his government responsible for the four Iranian diplomats who went missing in 1982, a media report said Friday. In a statement Thursday, Seniora said his government had sent a letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon in September last year, urging him to help resolve the issue of Iranian diplomats who were kidnapped during the Israeli invasion in 1982, the NBN TV reported.

December 29th, 2008 BEIRUT - Lebanese President Michel Suleiman gave orders Tuesday for the rescue of an aid vessel which had been destined for the Gaza Strip before it was reportedly rammed by an Israeli naval ship, Lebanese media have reported. The boat, named 'Dignity', was carrying aid and activists from the Free Gaza Movement, and sailed from Cyprus late Monday bound for the Gaza.