IRAN'S TOP COMMANDER HOPES US CONGRESS TAKES LESSON FROM VESSEL SEIZURE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06587094
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: March 23, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-02058
• Publication Date: January 13, 2016

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WARNING: TOPIC: CRIME, DOMESTIC POLITICAL, INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL,
MILITARY
SERIAL:IMR2016011354014845
BODY
COUNTRY: IRAN
SUBJ: (U) IRAN'S TOP COMMANDER HOPES US CONGRESS TAKES LESSON FROM
Vessel Seizure
UNCLASSIFIED//
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SOURCE: Tehran Fars News Agency in English 0535
GMT 13 Jan 16 (U)
TEXT:
[NEWS AGENCIES]
[OSC Transcribed Text]
(U) This product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use is
for national security purposes of the United States Government only.
Any reproduction, dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage
policy and the original copyright.
[Computer selected and disseminated without OSE editorial
intervention] TEHRAN (FNA)- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed
Forces Major General Hassan Firoozabadi hoped that seizure of the US
navy vessels that trespassed on Iran's waters in the Persian Gulf
would have a lesson for the Neocons in the US Congress.
The IRGC seized two US Navy boats on Tuesday and detained them on
Iran's Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. Nine men and one woman
arrived in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf illegally
when they were captured by the IRGC Navy. Tehran released them, of
course, after it ensured that the trespassing had resulted from an
"unintentional action".
"The yesterday incident in Northern Persian Gulf once again
displayed
the vigilance and preciseness of the Islamic Republic of Iran's
Armed
Forces against the Americans' movements in the region and taught
them
how vulnerable they are against the Islamic Republic's power," the
Iranian chief of staff said Wednesday afternoon.
"If it hadn't been for the insightfulness and good-will of our
commanders, the Americans would have now been faced with a
disaster,"
Major General Firoozabadi continued.
"Those US congressmen who plot a new problem for Iran each day are
apparently fed with incorrect information and take their actions
with
closed eyes and away from the realities and, thus, harm the American
nation," he added.
"I hope that the incident in the North of the Persian Gulf that will
likely be not the last by the US troops gives a lesson to those in
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the US congress that rock the boat."
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps issued a statement on Wednesday
saying that "it has released the US marines and their vessels in
international waters" after its investigations showed that they had
gone astray during their voyage in the Persian Gulf.
In its statement, the IRGC pointed out that its investigations show
that the US combat vessels' illegal entry into the Iranian waters
was
not the result of a purposeful act.
"Following technical and operational investigations and in
interaction with relevant political and national security bodies of
the country and after it became clear that the US combat vessels'
illegal entry into the Islamic Republic of Iran's waters was the
result of an unintentional action and a mistake and after they
extended an apology, the decision was made to release them," the
statement said.
"The Americans have undertaken not to repeat such mistakes," it
added, and continued, "The captured marines were released in
international waters under the supervision of the IRGC Navy moments
ago."
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps seized two US Navy boats on
Tuesday and detained them on Iran's Farsi Island in the Persian
Gulf.
Nine men and one woman trespassed Iran's territorial waters in the
Persian Gulf when they were captured by the IRGC Navy.
Each of the two US Navy boats that were 3 nautical miles deep into
the Iranian waters when they were captured by the IRGC Navy's second
naval zone were equipped with three 50mm caliber machine guns and
other light and semi-heavy weapons.
IRGC officials said the coordinates recorded on the GPS devices
taken
from the 10 US marines confirmed their trespassing as well.
Following the capture, two US and French aircraft carriers as well
as
their accompanying fleets and military choppers started maneuvering
near Iranian waters.
The IRGC statement blamed the US flotilla for its "excited and
unprofessional moves", but said the IRGC navy could handle the
situation and restored calm to the region through powerful and wise
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moves.
Senior US officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, were
in
contact with their Iranian counterparts on the fate of the marines
since Tuesday, and according to Iranian officials, Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif had told Kerry that the US should extend a
formal apology first.
According to the statement, the Americans have extended an apology.
[Description of Source: Tehran Fars News Agency in English --
Hardline semi-official news agency, affiliated with the Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), headed as of 24 July 2011 by
Nezameddin Musavi; http://www.english.farsnews.com]
(U) This product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use is
for national security purposes of the United States Government only.
Any reproduction, dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage
policy and the original copyright.
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