Iran Frees U.S. Sailors Who Strayed Into Waters, Tasnim Reports

IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said after the incident that that the USA navy boats entered the Iranian territorial waters due to technical problems, adding the incident occurred due to failure of the navigation systems.

In releasing the Americans, Iranian officials said the USA sailors and diplomats had admitted their mistake and apologized.

The sailors – nine men and one woman – were held overnight on Iran’s Farsi Island.

Ten sailors were detained by Iranian authorities on Tuesday as they sailed from Kuwait to Bahrain aboard two small riverine patrol boats.

UPDATE: 5:45 a.m. EST – All 10 American sailors who were detained by Iran for straying into its waters are now on board the USS Anzio and are undergoing initial medical checks, CNN reported, citing a us official.

USA officials said one or both vessels experienced mechanical troubles while on a training mission and were taken to Farsi Island, a tiny island that is home to an IRGC naval base.

Fifteen British sailors and marines were held for 13 days in 2007 after they were captured in a disputed area between Iran and Iraq.

However, Revolutionary Guard officials said Wednesday morning that news of an upcoming release was only “speculation”.

According to a statement from the U.S. Navy, the sailors were uninjured while in Iran’s custody, but it would launch an investigation into the series of events that caused their captivity.

“The Americans have undertaken not to repeat such mistakes”, the IRGC said on state media.

However he hinted that the sailors could soon be released, confirming that Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was involved in talks to see them freed.

Photos released of the sailors showed them lounging together in a carpeted room during their detention.

“They were released in worldwide waters after they apologised”, it added.

During his final State of the Union address last night, President Obama failed to mention the situation. Kerry recently said the deal’s implementation was “days away”.

The reported release would appear to avert a major confrontation in U.S.-Iranian relations at a sensitive moment, when key aspects of the nuclear accord hammered out a year ago between Tehran and world powers are about the be implemented.

Kerry learned of the incident around 12:30 p.m. EST as he and Defense Secretary Ash Carter were meeting their Filipino counterparts at the State Department, the official said.

In December, Iran’s navy conducted rocket tests near USA warships in the Strait of Hormuz, something the U.S. called “highly provocative”. A day after the naval team was seized, the U.N. Security Council imposed more sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt uranium enrichment.