Iran today summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran and handed over documents that it said showed a missing Iranian nuclear scientist had been kidnapped by the United States, IRNA news agency reported.
Iran has no diplomatic relations with the United States, and US interests in Tehran are handled by the Swiss embassy.
Shahram Amiri, a university researcher working for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, disappeared during a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia a year ago and Tehran accused Riyadh of handing him over to the United States, a charge Saudi Arabia has denied.
Iran's state television showed on Monday a video of what it said was Mr Amiri. In the footage, Mr Amiri said he had been kidnapped and taken to the United States where he was "tortured".
"In the meeting (with the Swiss envoy) Iran emphasised that America is responsible for the life and wellbeing of Mr Amiri and stressed his abduction was against all obvious international laws and human rights," the official IRNA agency said.
"Also documents regarding the abduction of Amiri was handed to the Swiss ambassador," IRNA said, adding Iran's Foreign Ministry had asked for the immediate and unconditional release of Amiri.
In March, ABC news said Mr Amiri had defected to the United States and was helping the CIA. A CIA spokeswoman declined to comment on the US network's report.
Reuters