The US State Department is saying nothing except that before January 10 they found the woman they believe Iran was talking about in Istanbul. Under American privacy laws, the government is forbidden to give out a citizen’s personal information unless the citizen first signs a privacy form authorizing the US government to reveal information.
Numerous conflicting accounts about the woman were reported in Iran last week. (See last week’s Iran Times, page one.)
One new element has emerged since. Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi told reporters, “This person sought asylum from Iran and claimed she was being threatened by the Americans,” he said, adding that, after investigating, his agents realized her claims were baseless.
He then said the woman was prevented from entering the country. However, the deputy commander of the border guards, Brig. Gen. Ahmad Geravand, had previously told state radio she was brought into Iran and turned over to the Intelligence Ministry. It appears the regime is embarrassed by the case and thus prefers the fiction that she never entered Iran.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast was similarly dedicated to playing down the incident. He also insisted the woman had never entered the country, despite what the border force deputy commander said. “The published news was not very interesting or important,” Mehman-Parast insisted. “It was an issue that was sorted out at the level of border control,” he said. “And, secondly, because of the fact that it was not of much importance, I think the problem has been resolved.”
It still isn’t known at what border post she appeared. News accounts have cited two different border post, one with Armenia and one with Azerbaijan.
The woman has been identified as Hal Fayalan, 34.