Freed Japanese arrives in Iran's capital

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A Japanese tourist released after being abducted by bandits last year in the southeast of Iran arrived in Tehran on Sunday, a Reuters witness said.

Satoshi Nakamura, 23, was abducted in October while travelling in the southeastern Iranian province of Kerman and then taken to neighbouring Pakistan. He was freed and transferred to Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province on Saturday.

"He was totally covered by security guards of the Japanese embassy. They held a cloth in front of his face," said a Reuters photographer at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport.

"He looked tired but visibly happy and shocked by the press attention."

A senior official in the province said earlier on Sunday Iranian authorities had not struck any deal with the kidnappers, a drug smuggling gang Iran had earlier said demanded the release of detained members as a condition for Nakamura's release.

The official had said he was safe and spent the night at a government office near the Zahedan city.

A Japanese diplomat in Tehran also confirmed the student had been freed and was safe.

"We had a chance to talk with him over the phone. Judging from the conversation he is fine," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry official said Nakamura was expected to return home on Monday night. "His family are travelling to Iran on Monday to take him to his country," the official said.