**The mother of one of three US hikers detained in Iran has made a fresh appeal for their release.**It has been almost five months since the three were jailed in Iran for allegedly straying across the country’s border while hiking in Iraq.
The appeal came as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told AFP news agency that the hikers were in a “sensitive military zone”.
Iranian officials have also previously alleged that the three were spying.
Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were detained in July and have been accused of illegal entry.
Their families say they strayed across the border accidentally.
Compassion
Nora Shourd, the mother of Sarah, made her appeal in a video posted on a web site dedicated to freeing the hikers.
“Sarah, Shane and Josh are good people. They meant no harm to the Islamic Republic of Iran and respect your ancient and noble civilization. If they entered Iran, it was an innocent mistake,” she said.
HIGH PROFILE DETENTIONS
- 25 November: Five Britons arrested after their racing yacht strays into Iranian waters. Freed a week later.
- Jan 09: US-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi arrested for buying a bottle of wine. Jailed for spying in April, but released a month later after an appeal.
- 23 March 07: 15 Royal Navy personnel seized by Iranian warships after searching a cargo boat in the Gulf. Held for nearly two weeks.
She asked the Iranian authorities for compassion and to release her daughter and her friends for the holidays.
Meanwhile President Ahmadinejad, in an interview with AFP, said that that “those who break the law will have to answer for it. Justice is independent in Iran and will decide”.
On Monday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Tehran to free the hikers, and said that any charges would be unfounded.
She was speaking after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the three would stand trial, although he did not specify on what charges.
The three Americans were seized by Iranian border guards on 31 July near the town of Marivan, and are being held in Tehran’s Evin prison.
The three hikers are all friends who attended the prestigious University of California, Berkeley.