Kerry spoke with Iran’s Zarif at least 5 times about detained sailors
On Wednesday, Mr. Toner, the State Department spokesman, said the episode wouldn’t impede the “implementation day” of the nuclear agreement, which could come as early as this week and will take place when Iran completes all of the steps outlined in the accord to curb its nuclear program. That was partly to avoid an global incident, all-out war and protect a deal with benefits for both sides.
The sailors left the island at 1943 AEDT on Wednesday aboard their boats, the U.S. navy said.
Barack Obama was about to make his last presidential State of the Union address while the House of Representatives was preparing to consider a bill demanding sanctions linked to illegal Iranian missile tests last December, provocatively close to U.S. warships. Some called for a review of the nuclear deal in light of Iran’s actions.
Under the deal reached last summer, the heavy-water reactor is to be re-engineered so that it produces only minute amounts of plutonium, like enriched uranium a potential pathway to nuclear arms. Defense Secretary Ash Carter thanked Kerry for his efforts.
In the apology video released by Iran, one of the sailors stiffly takes responsibility for the USA entering Iranian waters, apologizes, and says their Iranian hosts have been “fantastic”.
There was precedent for such a standoff to further deteriorate. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the Americans were rescued or captured, but the White House said they believed the sailors would be freed promptly.
Yet at the same time, the administration claimed that the encounter wasn’t hostile and the sailors were treated well.
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog is likely to confirm on Friday that Iran has curtailed its nuclear programme as agreed with world powers, paving the way for sanctions to be lifted, Iran and a diplomatic source said. A USA military official said Wednesday that a plan for a possible, eventual rescue was being assembled but was “throttled back” as the State Department neared a diplomatic solution.
The quick resolution stood in contrast to the Revolutionary Guard’s March 2007 seizure of 15 British sailors and marines who were searching for a merchant ship in the Persian Gulf, who were held for 13 days.
But the US has a lot at stake in calming tensions.
“Iran does not deserve the benefit of the doubt”.
A second video released by Iranian media appears to show the initial capture of the sailors on their knees with their hands in the air.
One U.S. administration official said the move was made out of a desire “not to rock the boat” during a sensitive time as implementation of the nuclear deal approached.
But in a tweet, Zarif expressed a similar hope that future clashes could be solved in a comparably effective way. Let’s learn from this example, Zarif added.
In addition to complying with the nuclear deal, it has not pulled out of the U.N.-backed Syria talks, which are due to start January 25, and is supporting Iraqi government troops in some combat operations against Islamic State.
Last month, a smaller Iranian rocket reportedly came within 1,500 feet of a USA aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz. He repeated that message in follow-up calls, the official said.
He also told IRINN that there are several measures remaining and they would be carried out during one to two days, and then everything will be ready for implementation of nuclear agreement.