Group threatens to behead hostage in Iran-TV

Reuters:

A little-known group said it had abducted an Iranian security agent and would behead him unless Iran freed jailed members of the group, Al Arabiya television reported on Monday. READ MORE

A video tape aired by the satellite channel showed four gunmen standing near the hostage, who was identified as Shahab Mansouri. A fifth man appeared to be questioning him, but there was no soundtrack.

"A group calling itself the Organisation of God's Soldiers ... said it would send the hostage's head as a gift to the elected president if its demands are not met," Al Arabiya said.

The group gave Iranian authorities three weeks to free its imprisoned members, the channel said.

The gunmen shown in the video, whose authenticity could not be verified immediately, were dressed in tribal robes. Their faces were covered in black cloth.

Kidnappings are rare in Iran. The Islamic Republic will hold its second round of presidential elections on Friday.

The polls were preceded by a rare string of bomb attacks that killed nine people, including in southwestern Iran, home to the country's Arab ethnic minority.