TEHRAN, Sept. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Fereidoun Jahani, an Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Iraq in August, has been freed and is now under protection of the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, the official IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

    "Jahani's release should owe to the continuous efforts by the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and the Iranian Embassy to Baghdad, along with close cooperation of high-ranking Iraqi officials," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a news release, quoted by IRNA.

    Earlier in the day, it was reported that Jahani's relatives slammed concerned officials for being "lackadaisical" in following up his case.

    Jahani was kidnapped on Aug. 4 by a group calling itself Islamic Army in Iraq on the way to Karbala from Baghdad to open a consulate in that city.

    The kidnappers accused Jahani of provoking sectarian conflicts and engaging in activities violating his diplomatic duties. Enditem