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Iran’s Supreme Leader Hails Capture Of US Navy Sailors As ‘God’s Deed’

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Russ Read Pentagon/Foreign Policy Reporter
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Ayatollah Ali Khameini, the supreme leader of Iran, praised the mid-January capture of 10 U.S. Navy sailors Sunday, calling it “God’s deed.”

Khameini’s comments took place during a meeting with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps forces (IRGC) who were responsible for the capture of the Navy sailors.

The IRGC’s apprehension of the 10 sailors took place Jan. 12, just hours before President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union address. The 10 sailors were traveling on two riverine boats when they drifted into Iranian waters and were subsequently arrested. One sailor was recorded on Iranian television apologizing for the “mistake.”

Once released, Secretary of State John Kerry thanked Iran for freeing the sailors, while an IRGC commander referred to the event as a “sign of our might” over the U.S.

“What you did was very great, interesting and timely and it was in fact God’s deed that took Americans to our waters so that through your timely job they raised their hands over their heads and were arrested,” said Khameini, according to his website.

Khameini’s Twitter account posted several pictures of the meeting between the supreme leader and the IRGC naval forces responsible for the arrest of what he calls “U.S. intruding marines.”

Khameini’s comments came just one week after “implementation day” of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly know as the Iran nuclear deal, which began the process of unfreezing tens of billions of dollars to Iran as well as the lifting of several key sanctions.

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