TEHRAN --Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi, speaking at a ceremony commemorating the fourth martyrdom anniversary of 9 Iranian diplomats and IRNA reporter Mohammad Saremi who were killed in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, lauded reporters and all those whose sacrifices and professional commitment have raised the level of reporters' professionalism and information dissemination. Dr. Assefi said that their martyrdom was, "A bitter memory and evidence of Iran's opposition to violence and terrorism."

He expressed hope that the Islamic Transitional Government of Afghanistan would make efforts to apprehend the criminals and try them in court.

Meanwhile the martyrdom anniversary of IRNA'S late reporter, Mahmoud Saremi, was remembered by Iran's Embassy in Kabul, here on Wednesday night.

On the eve of the fourth martyrdom anniversary of Saremi in Afghanistan's northern Mazar-i-sharif city by criminal Taleban militants, the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul issued a communique, commemorating him and condoling his family, as well as the Iranian nation. In the communique a copy of which was received at IRNA'S Kabul office, we read: "The fourth martyrdom anniversary of the Iranian diplomats and IRNA reporter in Afghanistan is commemorated under such conditions that the creators of that hideous crime, whatever their beliefs, or their factional connections, are today in a situation that serves as a historic lesson for the others."

"The sun will never hide behind the clouds for good, and the truth shall prevail despite falsehood's desire'" adds the communique, expressing delight over the absence of the creators of that disastrous situation in Afghanistan's various scenes today.

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul has assured the nation and the martyrs' families of the August 8, 1998 Mazar-i-Sahrif disaster that the criminal hands of the creators of that nasty crime, and those of the ones who passed by that sad event indifferently, will sooner or later be handcuffed by the courts of justice.

At the end, President Karzai's interim government is requested to do all within its capability to shed light over the dark aspects of that sad event, thus healing some of the wounds of the bereaved families of those bygone martyrs and the Iranian nation.