A pair of senior Iranian officials are touting the capture and release of 10 U.S. sailors as a sign of Iran’s strength over the United States in the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi and Chairman of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi used Iranian media Thursday to commend the recent capture and release of ten U.S. sailors and their two riverine boats.
“This is a sign of our might,” Araqchi said Wednesday to Iranian media outlet Fars News.
The sailors were taken into custody by Iranian forces Tuesday after allegedly entering Iranian waters. After being held overnight, the sailors were released Wednesday following negotiations between Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. (RELATED: Kerry Thanks Iran Following Humiliation Of US Sailors)
“This shows Iran’s internal power as we powerfully seized the military vessel of the world’s big military power and then freed its personnel powerfully after ensuring of their unintentional entry into our territorial waters,” Araqchi continued to Iranian media.
Boroujerdi echoed his colleague in a letter to Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the commander of the forces who apprehended the sailors, calling his move “brave.” He also noted that the apprehension is a sign that Iran controls the security of the Persian Gulf.
The comments from the two officials follow those of Fadavi, who claimed Wednesday Iran had missiles locked on the U.S.S. Truman aircraft carrier and were ready to create a “catastrophe” while the sailors were still in Iranian custody. (RELATED: Iran Naval Commander: We Had Missiles Locked On US Carrier During Sailor Crisis)
Send tips to russ@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.