Peretz denies Israel involved in Iranian general's disappearance

In first Israeli official response to missing Iranian general disappearence, defense minister says Israel does not kidnap people
Anat Bereshkovsky

In Israel's first response to the disappearance of an Iranian official in Turkey, Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Wednesday that allegations that the Mossad was behind it were unfounded.

Report:

Missing Iranian general in Europe / Roee Nahmias

Arabic-language newspaper quotes top Iranian military official as saying that Ali Reza Asgari is being questioned by Western military experts over Revolutionary Guards’ role in bombing of US Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut; general will be transferred to America at a later date, he adds

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"We do not engage in that sort of activity," said Peretz, "and therefore have no reason to discuss it."

Reports about Iran's former Deputy Defense Minister Ali Reza Asgari's disapperaence were first published by a Saudi newspaper in February.

The report said that after a visit to Damscus he flew to Istanbul but never checked into his hotel.

At a later meeting between the Turks and Iran it was suggested that the Mossad and the CIA might be behind his disappearance.

Tuesday, one month after he disappeared, the London-based newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat reported that Asgari had defected from Iran and had requested asylum in the US.