Iran briefly detains Swiss ambassador

Iranian authorities briefly detained the Swiss ambassador to Tehran, Livia Leu Agosti, while she was on a trip three days ago to North Khorasan province, Press TV and Fars news agency reported yesterday.

Agosti was detained last Wednesday by provincial security forces "because her identity was not established at the time," said the website of Press TV, the Iranian channel in English, citing "informed sources".

She was freed a few hours later, the report said.

Fars news agency, which also quoted an informed source, said that Agosti's trip to North Khorasan was, however, planned with the knowledge of relevant authorities.

In Switzerland, a foreign ministry spokesman told AFP that his office "does not have any information" about the possible detention of Agosti.

The Swiss embassy in Tehran has represented the interests of the US in Iran since the two archfoes broke off ties in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution.