Five Britons kidnapped in Iraq -including Peter Moore who was freed on Wednesday after two-and-a-half years – were held in Iran, it has been claimed.
Mr Moore and his four bodyguards were taken to a camp in Iran within a day of being seized, says the Guardian paper.
Three of the bodyguards were killed; the fourth is also thought to be dead.
However one Iraqi MP whom the Guardian said had been a key negotiator in the crisis has strongly denied Iran had any involvement in the hostage-taking.
The UK Foreign Office said it had seen the “speculation” about Iran’s role in the kidnappings.