U.S. Sailors Detained by Iran Are 'Safely Returned' (PART II)

by CASSANDRA VINOGRAD, JIM MIKLASZEWSKI, COURTNEY KUBE and ABIGAIL WILLIAMS

Ten U.S. sailors detained by Iran were released early Wednesday, officials said.

The sailors — nine men and one woman — were held overnight on Iran's Farsi Island. They were taken into custody Tuesday when their two small U.S. navy riverine vessels drifted into Iranian waters during a training mission.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement Wednesday that the sailors had been released back into international waters following a U.S. apology and clarifications that any incursion was "a mistake."

"The Americans have undertaken not to repeat such mistakes," added the statement, which was read aloud on state TV. "The captured marines were released in international waters under the supervision of the IRGC Navy."

The State Department denied that any apology took place — with spokesman John Kirby saying on Twitter there was "nothing to apologize for" — but welcomed news of the sailors' release.

Secretary of State John Kerry during an address Wednesday morning thanked Iranian authorities for their cooperation and "quick response."

"All indications (were) that our sailors were well taken care of," he said, adding that the U.S. and Iran were able to resolve the situation through diplomatic channels.

"I think we can all imagine how a similar situation might have played out three or four years ago, and in fact, that is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure and strong," Kerry said.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter also said he was "pleased" the sailors were back in U.S. hands, thanking Kerry for his diplomatic efforts to secure their release.

"We appreciate the timely way in which this situation was resolved," he said in a statement which did not address the alleged apology.

The sailors were "safely returned" after departing Iran's Farsi Island at 3:43 a.m. ET aboard the riverine vessels they had been operating when the incident occurred, according to the U.S. Navy.

They were later transferred ashore by Navy aircraft while other sailors took charge of their boats and continued on for Bahrain, the Navy added in a statement.

"There are no indications that the sailors were harmed during their brief detention," the statement said, adding that the circumstances of the incident will be investigated.

The sailors — who were escorted off Farsi Island by Iranian forces — were given medical exams aboard the U.S.S. Anzio before being flown to shore and taken to the American navy base in Bahrain, U.S. military officials told NBC News.

The sailors' release caps a quick, overnight flurry of diplomatic activity after Iran said the boats had entered its waters on Tuesday.

U.S. officials had sprung into action, with Kerry calling his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif in hopes of securing the sailors' freedom.

Iran's Navy chief Gen. Ali Fadavi initially accused the U.S. Navy vessels of demonstrating "unprofessional behavior." However, later Wednesday he said that an investigation showed the American vessels had entered his country's waters due to a mechanical issue — which jibed with what U.S. officials had initially suggested.

"It was not for espionage or other harmful purposes," Fadavi said on state-run TV.

Still, he defended the decision to take the sailors into custody as "necessary measures" given the presence of U.S. forces in the region.

American naval ships routinely navigate the waters of the Persian Gulf near Iranian territory, and their presence there frequently has been a source of tensions between the two nations.

Senior U.S. military commanders criticized Iran last month for its"highly provocative" actions when it fired unguided rockets near U.S. ships, including the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, in the Strait of Hormuz

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Pentagon: 2 U.S. Navy Boats With 10 American Sailors Held by Iran Military

by JIM MIKLASZEWSKI and COURTNEY KUBE

NBCNEWS.COM - Iranian military forces seized two U.S. Navy boats Tuesday and are detaining them on Iran's Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf, senior U.S. officials told NBC News.

The 10 American sailors aboard the small riverine vessels were on a training mission around noon ET when one of the boats may have experienced mechanical failure and drifted into Iranian-claimed waters, officials said. Iran's coast guard took them into custody.

The officials said it's unclear whether the sailors — nine men and one woman had strayed into Iranian territorial waters before they were captured.

"At this point, we're still monitoring the situation and it's not entirely clear what happened," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on MSNBC, adding that Iranian authorities confirmed that the sailors are safe.

Earnest said there remained no exact time frame for when the sailors would be let go, but didn't expect a long delay. Officials told NBC News that the Americans aren't expected to be released until around daybreak Wednesday.

American naval ships routinely navigate the waters of the Persian Gulf near Iranian territory. The Gulf has been a flashpoint in the Middle East, and the incident comes on the same day President Barack Obama was set to give his annual State of the Union address.

Following reports of the incident, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Iranian officials in Tehran by phone, attempting to secure the sailors' release.

One senior official told NBC News the Iranians understand it was a mistake and have agreed to let the Americans go in international waters.

Senior U.S. military commanders had criticized Iran last month for its "highly provocative" actions when it fired unguided rockets near U.S. ships, including the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.

Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told The Associated Press that the boats were moving between Kuwait and Bahrain when U.S. officials lost contact with them. Farsi Island sits in the Persian Gulf in between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and is fortified by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

"We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly," Cook said.

Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, an NBC News military analyst, said the seizure of American boats is "very bad news" and highlights how the Navy may have failed to have surveillance on its vessels.

"We simply can't allow ground, air or naval units to be seized by a foreign hostile power," McCaffrey said on MSNBC. "I hope they're back real quickly. This is an affront to our military presence in the Gulf and will unsettle our allies in the region."

GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush was among the first to attack Obama for appearing weak in front of Iran, which has been at odds with the U.S. over a delicate nuclear deal that was finally reached last year.

"No more bargaining. Obama's humiliatingly weak Iran policy is exposed again," Bush tweeted.

GOP rival Marco Rubio, during an interview on Fox News, called for Iran to release the sailors "immediately," saying the nation is "testing the boundaries of our resolve."

But Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said on MSNBC that the pending release of the sailors shows how diplomacy between U.S. and Iranian officials "is working."

Hopefully this will be resolved, and it won't be an issue that we're talking about in a couple of hours," she said.

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