Kidnapping of Nour Ahmad Nikbakht

Nour Ahmad Nikbakht, an administrative staff member at the Iranian Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, was kidnapped on 21 July 2013 while traveling from his home to the embassy. According to the account, unidentified gunmen affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula blocked the road, forced him out of his vehicle, and took him to an undisclosed location. After his eventual release, Nikbakht stated, "I was kidnapped by unknown gunmen and terrorists as I left my home to go to work."

A Yemeni tribunal later indicated that Nikbakht was held by al-Qaeda militants in an area spanning the southern provinces of Shabwa and Baida. Describing his time in captivity, he said, "I was in an extremely difficult situation and I did not know what was happening in the outside world."

In the weeks following the abduction, Yemeni authorities said they had no leads on his whereabouts. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said a joint working group had been formed between Iranian and Yemeni foreign ministries to address the case, and stated that the Yemeni government bore responsibility for the diplomat's safety and safe return. Iran's foreign ministry summoned Yemen's chargé d'affaires in Tehran on two occasions to press the point that Yemen was responsible for Nikbakht's safety.

Nikbakht was held for approximately two years. He was released in March 2015 as part of an exchange in which five al-Qaeda leaders were freed. The day before his release, Iranian officials stated that he was in good health. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said intelligence officers had carried out a difficult and complex rescue operation but did not provide further details. Iran's intelligence minister, Mahmoud Alavi, said the operation had occurred with the lowest possible casualties and stated that Tehran had refused conditions set by the captors for the diplomat's release.

On 5 March 2015, Nikbakht arrived at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, where he was reunited with his family and greeted by Iranian officials.