An Iranian nuclear scientist, who Teheran claims was abducted by US forces, has been in the United States by choice "for some time" and is "free to go," the US State Department said yesterday.

"He’s been here for some time, I’m not going to specify for how long, but he has chosen to return," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.

"He has been here on his free will and is obviously free to go. In fact he was scheduled to travel to Iran yesterday and wasn’t able to make all the necessary arrangements to reach Iran through transit countries," Crowley added.

Shahram Amiri surfaced at the Iranian Interests Section of the Pakistani embassy in Washington, which handles Iranian affairs in the US capital, yesterday.

He has claimed he was kidnapped by US spies last year, though US television network ABC reported in March that he had defected and was working with the Central Intelligence Agency.

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