The release was announced by Iran and by the US 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain. The Riverine boats were not part of the carrier strike group, and were on a training mission as they traveled between Kuwait and Bahrain, officials said.
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Two small US naval vessels were stopped and held by Iranian forces on Tuesday while en route from Kuwait to Bahrain, according to the Pentagon.
Later, though, Iranian officials said they had determined that malfunctioning navigation devices were responsible for what they called an “intrusion”.
Officials said a radio signal from one of the boats showed that they were on Farsi Island, setting off efforts to contact the Iranians. “In fact, that is why… the United States and this president made it a priority to organize the worldwide community to reach an agreement with Iran that will prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon”.
The sailors then boarded the guided missile cruiser USS Anzio, where they underwent medical checks Wednesday.
“There are no indications that the Sailors were harmed during their brief detention”, according to a statement from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs Office.
“The Navy will investigate the circumstances that led to the Sailors’ presence in Iran”, the Department of Defense says.
Secretary of State John Kerry expressed “gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation?in swiftly resolving this matter”, in a statement Wednesday.
That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure, and strong.
After informal talks between Washington and Tehran, a statement from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, describing the sailors as Marines, was read out on state television confirming they were free.
Iran’s armed forces chief, Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, said the incident should demonstrate Iranian strength to “troublemakers” in the U.S. Congress, which has sought to put pressure on Iran after the nuclear deal.
Another senior defense official told CNN the boats were in the area of Farsi Island for refueling, but it’s not clear whether they actually refueled – raising the possibility they ran out of power.
Iran’s Fars News Agency first reported the release.
Carter also said: “Around the world, the U.S. Navy routinely provides assistance to foreign sailors in distress, and we appreciate the timely way in which this situation was resolved”.
Kerry and Zarif grew acquainted through the recent nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is largely responsible for Iran’s nuclear research, is expected to benefit financially from the lifting of sanctions under the pact, in return for a halting of Tehran’s nuclear program.
The Revolutionary Guard’s official website published images of the detained US sailors before their release, showing them sitting on the floor of a room.
Otherwise, “they probably would have been kept a few more days”, Hertling said.
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The Guards have also seized British servicemen on two occasions, in 2004 and 2007, and a civilian British yacht crew in 2009. “This is going to improve military-military relationships”. The crews of the three boats, including eight British sailors and marines, were blindfolded and paraded on Iranian state TV and held captive for three days.
