TEHRAN, Jan 22 (KUNA) -- Iran on Tuesday summoned Swiss Ambassador Marco Linter, whose country is handling US interests in Tehran, to protest against the US arrest of Marzieh Hashemi, an Iranian-American TV anchor and presenter at Iran's English-language news channel Press TV.
"During the meeting with the Swiss Ambassador, we stressed the need to release the journalist immediately without any restrictions or conditions," Iranian Foreign ministry spokesperson Bahram Qasemi was quoted by official media as saying.
"During the meeting, it was emphasized that the US federal police's handling the case and the federal government's questionable silence towards this situation is against its international obligations and the flagrant violation of the human rights of Mrs. Hashemi," Qasimi added.
For his part, the Swiss Ambassador said during the meeting that he would convey Tehran's position to the concerned officials in the American administration immediately.
The US authorities detained Hashemi, who was named Melanie Franklin before she converted to Islam on arrival at the St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri last week. (end) mw.aa