Missing Iranian general Ali Reza Asghari, who disappeared during a visit to Turkey earlier this week, may be in Europe, an Arab newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Iranian general Ali Reza Asghari.
Photo: Channel 10
According to the London-based daily A-Sharq al-Awsat, the former deputy defense minister of Iran was being held for questioning in northern Europe on his way to the US, where he was reportedly headed to seek asylum.
Former Mossad chief Dani Yatom said on Wednesday that "if indeed the Iranian general defected to the West, sooner or later Israel would be given the information he holds," Army Radio quoted him.
The retired Revolutionary Guards general and senior intelligence official had arrived in Turkey on a private visit from Damascus, Syria, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported Tuesday.
Allegations have abounded for the last few days over who was responsible for Asghari's disappearance.
The Iranian security establishment blamed Western intelligence services on Tuesday, and the Mossad was implicated on Monday due to reports that Asghari allegedly had information on missing IAF navigator Ron Arad.
Yaakov Katz and news agencies contributed to this report.
