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Frenchman shot dead in Iranian city
A French tourist was shot dead in the central Iranian city of Isfahan by a man who local police said was "mentally disturbed", a French diplomat said on Monday.
"It has no political significance," the diplomat, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
He said the 24-year-old French man, Julien van Waesberghe, was shot dead on Sunday night at a bus station as he was about to travel to another city south of Isfahan.
"It seems that it was a crime that has been done by somebody who was mentally disturbed," the diplomat said.
He said police told the French embassy the killer had been seeking the release of his brother from jail. The police said he had previously made threats about taking possible action.
Iranian media also reported the shooting.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson says police are in pursuit of the suspected armed robber who shot a French tourist in Isfahan.
Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said the police have identified the gunman and have launched a nationwide manhunt to track down the killer.
Hosseini expressed the Islamic Republic's deep sorrow for the death of the 24-year-old Julien Van Waesberghe.
The French national was fatally wounded in police crossfire near the Isfahan bus station.
A young French tourist has been shot dead by a known criminal in the Iranian city of Isfahan, one of the country's main tourist draws, the Fars news agency reported on Monday.
"Yesterday (Sunday) a French citizen was shot dead in Isfahan," said a statement by local police quoted by the news agency.
"The murderer recently killed a member of the security forces and unfortunately had not been arrested," it added.
An Iranian official, who asked not to be named, identified the victim as Julien Van Waesberghe and said he had died of his wounds after being taken to hospital, Fars reported.
The official said the incident took place around Isfahan bus station while the victim and his unidentified partner were waiting to travel to the city of Yazd to the south.
The French embassy confirmed the police statements and said that Van Waesberghe was 24.
In Tehran, the official IRNA news agency said foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini expressed the government's regrets.
Most of Iran is generally considered safe for visiting, although embassies warn against travel to border areas with Pakistan and Afghanistan where there have been kidnappings of foreigners.
Isfahan in central Iran is a former imperial capital and home to a cluster of historically important palaces and mosques around the UNESCO-listed Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest in the world.
The city is visited by thousands of foreign tourists each year and is not considered a risky destination.
The police statement named the suspected murderer as 27-year-old Kazem Shafihi from the southern city of Shiraz who was on the run after an armed robbery.
"The identity of the murderer is known to the police... the attack against the foreign citizen is part of the desperate actions of this fugitive thief."
The killing comes as a Japanese tourist abducted by bandits in the southeast of Iran remains in captivity more than two months after his kidnapping.
Satoshi Nakamura, 23, was kidnapped by bandits on October 8 as he headed for the ancient mud-built citadel of Bam in a region of southeast Iran bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A bandit called Esmail Shahbakhsh, blamed for the kidnapping, is asking for the release of his arrested son in exchange for Nakamura, according to Iranian officials.
The bandit is said to be the same man whose gang in August abducted two Belgian tourists who were later freed.
The female Belgian tourist was freed shortly after her capture but it took a month to win the release of her male partner.
"It has no political significance," the diplomat, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
He said the 24-year-old French man, Julien van Waesberghe, was shot dead on Sunday night at a bus station as he was about to travel to another city south of Isfahan.
"It seems that it was a crime that has been done by somebody who was mentally disturbed," the diplomat said.
He said police told the French embassy the killer had been seeking the release of his brother from jail. The police said he had previously made threats about taking possible action.
Iranian media also reported the shooting.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson says police are in pursuit of the suspected armed robber who shot a French tourist in Isfahan.
Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said the police have identified the gunman and have launched a nationwide manhunt to track down the killer.
Hosseini expressed the Islamic Republic's deep sorrow for the death of the 24-year-old Julien Van Waesberghe.
The French national was fatally wounded in police crossfire near the Isfahan bus station.
A young French tourist has been shot dead by a known criminal in the Iranian city of Isfahan, one of the country's main tourist draws, the Fars news agency reported on Monday.
"Yesterday (Sunday) a French citizen was shot dead in Isfahan," said a statement by local police quoted by the news agency.
"The murderer recently killed a member of the security forces and unfortunately had not been arrested," it added.
An Iranian official, who asked not to be named, identified the victim as Julien Van Waesberghe and said he had died of his wounds after being taken to hospital, Fars reported.
The official said the incident took place around Isfahan bus station while the victim and his unidentified partner were waiting to travel to the city of Yazd to the south.
The French embassy confirmed the police statements and said that Van Waesberghe was 24.
In Tehran, the official IRNA news agency said foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini expressed the government's regrets.
Most of Iran is generally considered safe for visiting, although embassies warn against travel to border areas with Pakistan and Afghanistan where there have been kidnappings of foreigners.
Isfahan in central Iran is a former imperial capital and home to a cluster of historically important palaces and mosques around the UNESCO-listed Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest in the world.
The city is visited by thousands of foreign tourists each year and is not considered a risky destination.
The police statement named the suspected murderer as 27-year-old Kazem Shafihi from the southern city of Shiraz who was on the run after an armed robbery.
"The identity of the murderer is known to the police... the attack against the foreign citizen is part of the desperate actions of this fugitive thief."
The killing comes as a Japanese tourist abducted by bandits in the southeast of Iran remains in captivity more than two months after his kidnapping.
Satoshi Nakamura, 23, was kidnapped by bandits on October 8 as he headed for the ancient mud-built citadel of Bam in a region of southeast Iran bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A bandit called Esmail Shahbakhsh, blamed for the kidnapping, is asking for the release of his arrested son in exchange for Nakamura, according to Iranian officials.
The bandit is said to be the same man whose gang in August abducted two Belgian tourists who were later freed.
The female Belgian tourist was freed shortly after her capture but it took a month to win the release of her male partner.
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