Tehran urges Washington to apologize for “trespassing” its waters
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged the U.S.
to apologize for “trespassing” its waters, an Iranian military
official said.
“[US Secretary of State John] Kerry called Zarif requesting Iran to
release the detained sailors. Zarif took a strong stance, saying
that the sailors were in Iran’s waters. Therefore the U.S. must
apologize,” Fars news agency quoted the Islamic Revolution Guards
Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi as saying on
January 13.
Reportedly, Kerry and Zarif have hold a phone conversation
following the seizure of two American boots as well as 10 sailors
onboard by the IRGC.
The IRGC Navy declared that the US navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf illegally. The boats were sized at 16:30 (GMT+3:30) on January 12, according to the statement.
The Iranian side reports that the arrested US sailors including one woman are “safe” and are being held in an “appropriate” place.
Earlier, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the US military lost contact with two small US boats en route from Kuwait to Bahrain, confirming that the 10 sailors on the boats were in Iranian custody. Cook also claimed that U.S. had been in contact with Iran and rested assured that they would be returned.
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