Nuke deal implementation by Sunday; Kerry thanks Tehran for resolving dispute ‘peacefully’
Nuke deal implementation by Sunday; Kerry thanks Tehran for resolving dispute ‘peacefully’
Iran on Wednesday released 10 US sailors it had detained in the Gulf, moving within hours to head off a potential crisis as it prepares for the lifting of sanctions.
A dramatic series of events started with the sail-ors — nine men and a woman — being taken into custody after their two patrol boats drifted into Iranian territory late on Tuesday. US and Iranian officials scrambled to defuse the situation, which unfolded as Iran prepares to finally implement a nuclear deal with world powers aimed at ending the Islamic republic’s long international isolation.
After informal talks bet-ween Washington and Teh-ran, a statement from Iran’s Revolutionary Gua-rds, describing the sailors as Marines, was read out on state television confirming they were free. “It was determined that the detained American Mar-ines did not enter Iranian waters intentionally. Follo-wing their apology, they have been released to international waters in the Gulf,” it said.
Still images used in the report showed the sailors sitting calmly on Persian rugs. Iran had earlier said they were being well treated. Pictures of the US boats, which had green-and-black camouflage patterns, were also shown.
A Pentagon statement confirmed the sailors were free. “There are no indications that the sailors were harmed during their brief detention,” it said, adding: “The Navy will investigate the circumstances that led to the sailors’ presence in Iran.”
US secretary of state John Kerry thanked Iran for resolving the dispute “peacefully and efficiently”.
Meanwhile, the final implementation of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers is expected by Sunday, Iranian state media said, quoting deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, concluding that Iran had fulfilled its obligations under the agreement, will come out on Friday, broadcaster IRIB quoted Mr Araghchi as saying, paving the way for sanctions to end.
The IAEA findings would be followed by “reaching the end of the line and the announcement of the implementation during Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” the official IRNA news agency quoted Mr Araghchi as saying.
Admiral Ali Fadavi, the naval commander of the Guards, said an investigation established that “this trespassing was not hostile or for spying purposes” and the sailors had entered Iranian territory “due to a broken navigation system”.
US officials had said one or both of the boats had suffered mechanical problems and been taken to Farsi Island, which lies roughly midway between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Gulf and houses a base of the Guards, which has its own naval units.
Radio contact was lost with the two vessels — which US officials said were riverine patrol boats under 20 metres in length — while they were en route from Kuwait to Bahrain.
American officials said they had received assurances from Iran that the crews would be allowed to sail onwards come first light.
Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations but US secretary of state John Kerry called Iranian counterpart foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to discuss the incident.
The two developed a close working relationship during the nuclear talks, which concluded in July with a deal between Iran and the so-called P5+1 powers of the United States, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany.
But the incident in the Gulf came as President Barack Obama gave his last State of the Union address, undermining any attempt to cite closer relations with Tehr-an as part of his legacy.
