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1st LD: U.S. detained sailors to be released: Iran's IRGC commander

Xinhua, January 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

The navy commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Ali Fadavi, said Wednesday that ten U.S. sailors detained earlier in the Persian Gulf will be "probably" released since their entry to Iran's waters was due to the technical problems in their naval system, Tasnim news agency reported.

"Investigations show that the entry of two U.S. navy boats into Iran's territorial waters was because of the technical problems in their naval systems and the issue is in the process of being solved," Fadavi was quoted as saying.

"In a short time, the decision will be made (on the boats and the crew) and they will be probably released," he added.

In a statement wired by the public relations of IRGC earlier on Wednesday, it said that two U.S. navy boats with ten crew aboard, nine men and one woman, entered Iran's territorial waters on Tuesday at 16:30 local time (13:00 GMT).

The IRGC naval forces sent them a warning message and then they were detained and sent to Iran's Farsi island, it read.

IRGC also said that it was investigating the illegal entry of two seized U.S. boats into Iran's waters. Enditem