The Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s official news agency is reporting that authorities have detained two Spaniards for alleged illegal hunting after they were found with a captured alligator.
The Sunday report by IRNA quotes Gholamhossein Kazemi, the head of the environment department of southwestern Ilam province, as saying the two were detained during a midnight ambush.
Kazemi said both were handed to judicial authorities since they were trespassing in an area that bans hunting and had captured a live alligator. He did not identify them.
Their detention marks the first time Westerns have been held in Iran since moderate President Hassan Rouhani came to power in August. In the past, Iran repeatedly has detained Westerners on suspicion of being spies.
