Latest news with #ofIran
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Indian Express
Kidnapped in Iran on way to Australia, three Punjab men rescued: Embassy
Three men from Punjab, who had left for Australia on the promise of jobs by travel agents but found themselves in Iran and were later 'kidnapped' there, have been rescued, the Embassy of India in Iran Wednesday said. 'The three kidnapped Indian citizens have been safely rescued & are now under the care of the Embassy of India, which is facilitating their early repatriation. We sincerely thank the Government of Iran for their swift and effective efforts in securing their release. Your support reflects the true spirit of friendship between our two nations,' the Embassy of India in Iran posted on X. Amritpal Singh (23) from Bhagowal village in Hoshiarpur, Husanpreet Singh (27) of Dhuri in Sangrur and Jaspal Singh (32) of Langroya in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar — all in Punjab — were 'freed in a police operation against the hostage takers in Varamin in south Tehran,' Iran's Tasnim news agency reported Tuesday. All three had left for Australia in April with work visas after being promised lucrative jobs there by the travel agents back home in Punjab. They ended up in Iran where they were allegedly kidnapped by a network of travel agents from Pakistan who then demanded a ransom of Rs 18 lakh each for their release. The respective families received phone calls from the three men Tuesday evening, soon after the Iranian embassy in New Delhi, citing local media in Iran, said that the 'missing Indian citizens have been freed by Tehran police'. Husanpreet's cousin Manpreet Singh told the Indian Express that he received a call from an Iranian number at around 6 pm Tuesday. 'It was Husanpreet. He only said, 'We are safe now. Indian authorities have rescued us and we are now being taken to the embassy'. Before I could ask anything, the line went dead. Now, at least we know that he is alive,' said Manpreet.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
'True spirit of friendship' between India and Iran hailed after rescue of kidnapped citizens
Tehran: India on Wednesday thanked the Iranian government for its swift and effective efforts in securing the release of three kidnapped Indian citizens, emphasising that the timely support reflects "true spirit of friendship" that exists between the two nations. "The three kidnapped Indian citizens have been safely rescued and are now under the care of the Embassy of India, which is facilitating their early repatriation. We sincerely thank the Government of Iran for their swift and effective efforts in securing their release," the Embassy of India in Iran posted on X. "Your support reflects the true spirit of friendship between two nations," it added. Late Tuesday, the Embassy of Iran in India confirmed that Tehran police had freed the missing individuals, citing a report from Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency. "Three missing Indian citizens freed by Tehran police. Local media in Iran say police have found and released three Indian men who had gone missing in Iran," the Iranian Embassy stated. The trio was reportedly rescued following a police operation targetting the hostage-takers in Varamin in south Tehran, Iranian media reported. According to reports, the three Indian men - all hailing from Punjab and identified as Jaspal Singh, Hushanpreet Singh, and Amritpal Singh - had disappeared shortly after landing in Tehran on May 1. They were reportedly on their way to Australia after being promised lucrative jobs by a local travel company. The Indian Embassy in Tehran had issued a statement on May 28, following an approach by the family members of the missing men, who expressed serious concern over their relatives' sudden disappearance. The statement read, "Family members of three Indian citizens have informed the Embassy of India that their relatives are missing after having travelled to Iran. The Embassy has strongly taken up this matter with the Iranian authorities and requested that the missing Indians should be urgently traced and their safety should be ensured. We are also keeping the family members regularly updated on the efforts being made by the Embassy." Reports also suggested that the families received ransom demands of Rs one crore from unknown individuals, with the threatening calls originating from Pakistani phone numbers. The details raised serious alarm, prompting swift diplomatic engagement from both sides. The Iranian Embassy in India, responding to the developments, stated that the case was being closely followed by the Consular Affairs Department of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Embassy also issued a warning to Indian citizens, advising them "not to be deceived by the promises of unauthorised individuals or illegal Indian agencies offering travel to other countries." India has also previously issued travel advisories for its nationals travelling to Iran, urging them to exercise caution, remain in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran and consulates, and avoid engagement with unverified travel agents or intermediaries.
Zawya
10-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
AmEx closed 30 accounts potentially tied to Iran's government
U.S. credit card giant American Express identified and closed 30 consumer accounts in 2024 that it said could have had ties to the Government of Iran. The accounts were only used for personal expenses, AmEx said in a regulatory filing on Friday. It also ended its relationship with a third-party ATM network provider, which was connected to an Iranian bank sanctioned by the U.S. government. The company said it had voluntarily reported the activity to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Gross revenue and net profit attributable to these transactions were negligible, it added. The OFAC enforces economic and trade sanctions against foreign entities viewed as a threat to the United States. Spokespeople for the Treasury did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
