Two US Navy Boats In Iran Custody – Pentagon

Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the Navy boats were sailing between Kuwait and Bahrain when the US officials lost contact with them.

“Certainly, everybody should be aware of the fact we have been in touch with the Iranians and they have assured us that our sailors are safe and that they’ll be allowed to continue their journey promptly”, Earnest said.

Earlier in the day, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that the two boats were captured by naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near Farsi island, 2 km inside Iranian territorial waters.

The sailors – who were escorted off Farsi Island by Iranian forces – were given medical exams aboard the U.S.S. Anzio before being flown to shore and taken to the American navy base in Bahrain, U.S. military officials told NBC News.

Previous StoryThe Pentagon says the crew members of two small Navy craft are being held by Iran.

“We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly”, Cook said. The Iran Revolutionary Guard’s naval chief said earlier Wednesday that Iran’s foreign minister had demanded an apology from the USA for entering Iranian waters.

He said “the Iranians picked up both boats, as we have picked up Iranian boats that needed to be rescued” and then “released them like, you know, ordinary nations would do”.

USA lawmakers have called for increased sanctions on Iran after the country tested two ballistic missiles in recent months. “Around the world, the U.S. Navy routinely provides assistance to foreign sailors in distress, and we appreciate the timely way in which this situation was resolved”. “The evidence suggests that they unintentionally entered the Iranian waters because of the failure of their navigational system”, IRGC spokesman Ramazan Sharif concluded.

It was reported just hours before President Barack Obama was set to deliver his final State of the Union address.

Fadavi also reportedly said that Tehran has asked Washington to apologize for “violating” Iran’s territorial waters.

“[US Secretary of State John] Kerry called Zarif requesting Iran to release the detained sailors”.

“Mr Zarif had a strong stance and told Mr Kerry these were our territorial waters and you should apologise”, Fadavi said. USA defence officials said nine men and one woman were aboard the two vessels seized.

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. remain despite the breakthrough nuclear deal. The deal is to be implemented very soon – Kerry has said “in the coming days” – but has been criticized by Obama’s usa opponents as too soft on Tehran.