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Video appears to show the moment US Navy sailors were detained by Iran

Natasha Bertrand   

Video appears to show the moment US Navy sailors were detained by Iran
Politics2 min read

A former director at the semi-official, state-sponsored Iranian news agency, Fars, tweeted footage that appears to show the moment 10 US Navy sailors were detained by Iran in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday. 

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps released photos of the sailors shortly after they were captured and taken to an IRGC base on Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. But the above footage paints a different picture of how the arrest actually unfolded. 

Iranian state media also released footage purporting to show members of the IRGC rummaging through the supplies and weapons the sailors had onboard: 

The sailors, who were detained by Iran overnight, were released unharmed on Wednesday morning "after they apologized" for wandering into Iranian-claimed waters, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement.

The Pentagon confirmed Wednesday morning that the sailors were released and unharmed. A State Department spokesman said there was "absolutely ZERO truth" to rumors that Secretary of State John Kerry had apologized over the matter.

"I want to express my gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation ?in swiftly resolving this matter," US Kerry said in a statement Wednesday morning.

"That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure, and strong," he added, a sentiment that was echoed by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

The IRGC ultimately determined that the sailors' entry was not intentional, the corps said.

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