Jordan nationals arrested in Iranian territorial waters

By Laith al-Junaidi

AMMAN

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said three Jordanian nationals who went missing while on a fishing trip in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had been arrested by Iranian authorities after “mistakenly” entering Iranian territorial waters.

In a statement, ministry spokesman Majed al-Qatarneh said the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday had informed the Jordanian embassy in Tehran that the trio had been arrested in Iranian waters.

According to al-Qatarneh, the ministry had contacted the Iranian authorities, which have since confirmed that the three Jordanians were in good health and were being treated well.

The Iranian authorities also told the Jordanian Foreign Ministry that the three would be held for a “short time” after which they would be referred to a court in southwestern Iran.

Al-Qatarneh said: “The embassy contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry to ask about legal procedures for securing their release, which the embassy will follow in coordination with the Iranian authorities.”

On Sunday, Jordan announced that a fishing boat -- carrying three Jordanians, two Egyptians and one Emirati -- had gone missing on Thursday in the Persian Gulf.