Iran Frees US Sailors Captured In Persian Gulf

“Our investigations show the two US Navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters due to a broken navigation system”, IRGC Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi was quoted earlier as saying by the Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Guards.

The Pentagon has said it briefly lost contact with two small Navy craft in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday but has received assurances from Iran that the crew and vessels will be returned safely and promptly. The Navy chief of the Iran Revolutionary Guard said the American boats showed “unprofessional acts” for 40 minutes before being picked up by Iranian forces.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have released the ten detained USA sailors, according to Iranian media. “I am pleased that 10 U.S. Navy sailors have departed Iran and are now back in U.S. hands”, he said, thanking Secretary of State John Kerry for his personal help in freeing the nine male sailors and one female sailor.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards/AFP/Getty Images U.S. officials had said that the crew would be released promptly, though a Revolutionary Guard official later said that the idea was “speculation” before it proved to be true Wednesday afternoon local time.

Both the US and Iran blamed the incident on a mechanical error, which caused the boats to drift into Iranian territorial waters.

“This process is underway now and will not last long”.

Last year, Iranian patrol boats seized the Maersk Tigris, a cargo ship sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, providing it USA protection.

Still, he defended the decision to take the sailors into custody as “necessary measures” given the presence of USA forces in the region.

US officials said that the incident happened near Farsi Island in the middle of the Gulf.

The incident began Tuesday evening, when many in the USA were focused on President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address, which he delivered before Congress and viewers at 9 p.m. Eastern. USA officials sometimes draw distinctions between an apology and a lesser expression of regret.

Defence officials said the incident was not hostile and the seamen would be released soon, but the incident stirred up an global diplomacy storm.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity as the information had yet to be made public. Hardliners in Iran are also opposed to the deal and rapprochement between Tehran and Washington.