KERRY: US GRATEFUL TO IRAN FOR SWIFT RELEASE OF AMERICAN MARINES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06587143
• 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 ECONOMIC,
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL, MILITARY
SERIAL:IMR2016011366658818
BODY
COUNTRY: IRAN
SUBJ: (U) KERRY: US GRATEFUL TO IRAN FOR SWIFT RELEASE OF AMERICAN
Marines
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SOURCE: Tehran Fars News Agency in English 0859
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)- US Secretary of State thanked Iranian
authorities for resolving the issue which led to the detention of
American marines and expressed gratitude for their swift release.
The US government is grateful to Tehran for helping to arrange a
prompt release of ten American sailors who were seized by Iran in
the
Persian Gulf, US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement
on
Wednesday.
"I want to express my gratitude to Iranian authorities for their
cooperation in swiftly resolving this matter," Kerry stated.
Kerry underscored that the peaceful resolution of the incident has
become a testament to the critical role diplomacy could play in
keeping the United States safe.
Iran on Wednesday released the 10 US marines that it had detained
after their trespassing of its territorial waters in the Persian
Gulf.
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
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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
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.
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[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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