BAGHDAD - Iraq on Tuesday reiterated that it was negotiating with the US authorities to secure the release of five Iranians detained in the northern city of Arbil.
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that discussions with the US embassy and the military were under way to free the five officials detained since January 11.
"We have been asking actually the Americans formally to release them for quite some time but still they have not been released," Zebari told AFP.
The US military detained the five in Arbil saying that they were suspected of aiding insurgents in Iraq against its troops.
Zebari categorically denied that Iraq was trying to secure the release of the Iranians in a bid to help free 15 British sailors detained by Tehran.
"This had nothing to do with that. I want to make that absolutely clear. This has no linkage with the British sailors," Zebari said.
"Our efforts here to ensure the release of the Iranians in Arbil have nothing to do with the detention by the Iranians of the British sailors. This has been an ongoing attempt by us to secure their release."
Meanwhile, the Iranian embassy confirmed that diplomat Jalal Sharafi was freed on Monday after two months of captivity.
Sharafi, second secretary at the mission, was kidnapped by armed men dressed in Iraqi army uniforms in central Baghdad on February 4.
Zebari said his disappearance was "mysterious."
"We pursued it (abduction) with all the relevant authorities," he said including the US authorities adding that only Sharafi knew about his case.
The US military said it had nothing to do with Sharafi's case.
04/03/2007 14:41 GMT