Tehran: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in a statement early today confirmed they had seized two American boats and 10 sailors in “Iranian territory” near the Farsi island in the Gulf.
“At 16:30 (1300 GMT) Tuesday, two American combat boats carrying 10 armed marines who had entered Iranian territory were seized by the combat units of the Guards naval force and moved to Farsi island,” an official statement said.
“Passengers of the American boats, including nine men and one woman, (are being treated) with the Islamic conduct customary of the soldiers of the Guards naval forces, and they are in good health and being kept in a proper location,” it added.
Two aircraft carriers — the USS Harry S Truman and France’s Charles de Gaulle — were both in international waters near Farsi island when the US boats were captured, the statement said.
The Iranian Fars news agency, which is close to the Guards, reported that the “violating boats were 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) inside Iranian territory”.
“This information was recorded on their GPS devices, and the Guards have got hold of that information,” it said.