The Iranian government has appealed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for help in realizing 48 hostages captured in Syria.

Assistance of the UN offices will be highly appreciated, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said.  

A UN representative confirmed receiving of the letter but did not have official response, Reuters reported.

Rebels have kidnapped 48 Iranian pilgrims. The pilgrims lived in a hotel near the airport of Damascus. They were kidnapped while heading to Muslim shrine. Earlier, the representative of the Free Syrian Army said three of them were allegedly killed in the air attack of government forces.