BEIRUT (AFP) – Former Christian warlord Samir Geagea has said that the four Iranian diplomats kidnapped in 1982 in Lebanon by members of his now defunct Lebanese Forces militia died at least 20 years ago.

Geagea told AFP that when he became leader of the Lebanese Forces militia in 1986, he learned that the four missing Iranians "for sure died" in captivity.

Tehran and the Lebanese Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah have repeatedly claimed that the four missing Iranians are still alive and in Israel custody, after being handed over by the Lebanese Forces militia to then ally Israel.

The fate of the four has been one of the major points of indirect negotiations for a swap of prisoners and missing persons with Israel.

"I learned… when I became the leader of the Lebanese Forces in 1986, from Lebanese Forces elements who were there, that the four Iranians died in an incident," he said.

"I do not know what is the nature of this incident," he said, explaining that he had incomplete information because he was not part of the Lebanese Forces leadership at the time.

Geagea, is the only leader from the country’s 1975-90 civil war ever tried and jailed for crimes, was questioned about the four Iranians while he was in jail.

He was set free under an amnesty after 11 years in jail last year, as powerful neighbor
Syria ended 29 years of military presence and political domination in Lebanon.

Three Iranian diplomats — Mohsen Mousavi, Ahmad Motevaselian, Taqi Rastegarmoghaddam — and a photographer for state news agency IRNA, Kazem Akhavan, went missing in northern Lebanon during the country’s civil war.

Geagea said Lebanese and Iranian authorities "have probable information" on where the four Iranians were buried, as "there was a military investigation by the Lebanese defence ministry in the early 1990s."

The question of the missing Iranians has played prominently in back door negotiations with Israel which is seeking information on Israeli air force navigator Ron Arad, shot down over south Lebanon in 1986.

Israel has accused Hezbollah of handing Arad over to Iran, claims Tehran has long denied. Hezbollah denies it ever held Arad.