An undated picture released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards website shows American sailors sitting in a an undisclosed location in Iran. There were “robust bridge-to-bridge communications” during that time, but there was no trouble, the official said.
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Iran detained 10 sailors – nine men and a woman – after their two patrol boats drifted into Iranian territory late on Tuesday.
Iran state television also released images of the sailors in captivity Wednesday.
“We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly”, Cook said.
“I want to personally thank Secretary of State John Kerry for his diplomatic engagement with Iran to secure our sailors’ swift return”, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a statement today.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have released the ten detained US sailors, according to Iranian media.
The U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet had no immediate comment or confirmation of the release. He touted the incident as an example of US “vulnerability” in the Persian Gulf and praised the vigilance of the Iranian military, which monitors USA activities in the region.
Carter said the sailors apparently did not radio in to tell their commanders they were off-course before encountering the Iranians.
The apology has stirred up controversy in Washington, where several Republican lawmakers say the video is a propaganda coup for Iran.
General Lloyd Austin, who leads the USA military’s Central Command, said: “We’ll know a lot more after we’ve finished debriefing our sailors”.
A search-and-rescue effort was launched – including sending a U.S. Navy vessel inside Iranians waters due to concern the sailors could have been overboard and in the water.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the video was being assessed and the initial conclusion was that the sailors were treated well.
Iran said the British sailors were released when their government apologized to Iran, but London denied that it had offered any apology.
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“If we were at war with Iran or another country then yes, I think you could look at what happened as a breach of the protocols in there”, he added, “but they don’t apply”.
