The Iranian foreign ministry confirmed that one of its diplomats was kidnapped in Baghdad last Sunday.
In two incidents this month, a Swiss woman and three Philippine nationals were kidnapped in Yemen.
Officials are investigating if the victims were among several people kidnapped in the state on Monday.
"Let's say some prominent person is kidnapped in middle of Times Square, for example, " he said.
Mr Allex - a French spy - was kidnapped in Somalia in July 2009.
BBC: Denis Allex: French agent 'killed' by Somalia al-Shabab
Tata Tea, however, denies paying protection money, even after a senior employee was kidnapped in 1993.
In the past three months alone, 33 businessmen have been kidnapped in Mexico City's downtown areas.
She is kidnapped in a bank robbery and her beau is killed while trying to save her.
The Dinka claim that 14, 000 of their women and children have been kidnapped in the past decade.
ECONOMIST: Charities who buy slaves their freedom may end up doing harm
U.S. authorities also reported they had freed Roy Hallums, a U.S. contractor kidnapped in Baghdad 10 months ago.
Western tourists have been kidnapped in eastern Ethiopia and Salopek will be travelling through a troubled Middle East.
In 2007, 12 Turkish soldiers were killed and eight were kidnapped in an attack on an outpost there.
Several Turkish engineers have been kidnapped in Afghanistan in recent years, with some held for up to two years.
French soldiers have joined Mali's army in the hunt for the French pair kidnapped in Hombori, according to AFP.
Her husband has been kidnapped in Latin America, and a seemingly crooked local negotiator is handling the ransom bargaining.
Iraqi police say that about 30 people a day are kidnapped in Iraq.
The French foreign ministry has denied reports that a French family, kidnapped in Cameroon this week, have been freed.
According to the Venezuelan government, 686 people were kidnapped in 2009, the last year for which it released official figures.
They had been kidnapped in May 2011 after gunmen stormed their building.
Five of the captives had been held by the rebels for more than a year, while three others were kidnapped in September.
Mr Allex, who was kidnapped in Somalia in July 2009, was killed in retaliation for a failed French operation to free him.
It was where French-Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt was kidnapped in 2002.
In February, two other American tourists were briefly kidnapped in the region.
Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- Saudi Arabia's deputy consul was kidnapped in Yemen's southern port city of Aden Wednesday, two security officials there told CNN.
In October, 2010, a DEVGRU team attempted to rescue Linda Norgrove, a Scottish aid worker who had been kidnapped in eastern Afghanistan by the Taliban.
Drinking and hedonistic behaviour dovetailed with Marinello's career - and among many colourful episodes he lost his virginity in front of his team-mates and was kidnapped in Nigeria.
Then, French commandos went into action in Somalia, swooping on the town of Bulo Marer in an attempt to free Denis Allex, who was kidnapped in July 2009.
BBC: UK troops to assist Mali operation to halt rebel advance
Mr. Andreotti was prime minister of that coalition when Aldo Moro, a fellow Christian Democrat leader, was kidnapped in March 1978 by the Red Brigades, a left-leaning terrorist group.
In it the group demanded the release of its members it says are being held in Nigeria and Cameroon in exchange for seven French nationals kidnapped in Cameroon last month.
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