DUBAI: Iran released ten US sailors on Wednesday after holding them overnight, bringing a swift end to an incident that had rattled nerves days ahead of the expected implementation of a landmark nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had freed the sailors after determining they had entered Iranian territorial waters by mistake.

The sailors had been detained aboard two US Navy patrol boats in the Gulf on Tuesday.

“Our technical investigations showed the two US Navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters inadvertently,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by state television. “They were released in international waters after they apologised,” it added.

IRGC Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi had earlier said that the two US Navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters due to a broken navigation system.

US Vice President Joe Biden rejected reports that Washington had offered Iran an apology over the incident.

“No, there was no apology, nothing to apologise for ... and there’s no looking for any apology,” Biden said on CBS’s ‘This Morning’ programme.

The Pentagon said there were no indications the sailors were harmed while in Iranian custody.

A carefully worded statement did not explain how the sailors and their two riverine command boats ended up being detained by Iran, saying only that “the Navy will investigate the circumstances that led to the sailors’ presence in Iran”.

The sailors were later taken ashore by US Navy aircraft, while other sailors took charge of the boats and headed towards Bahrain, their original destination.

US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said he was pleased the sailors had been freed and appreciated “the timely way in which this situation was resolved”.

He added: “I want to personally thank Secretary of State John Kerry for his diplomatic engagement with Iran to secure our sailors’ swift return.” Kerry thanked Iran for its cooperation in the release of the sailors.

Our Correspondent adds from Washington: US Secretary of State John Kerry thanked Iran on Wednesday for releasing the 10 American sailors who had mistakenly entered Iran’s territorial waters.

“I want to express my gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation in swiftly resolving this matter,” Mr Kerry said in a statement. “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.”

Iran announced earlier Wednesday that it had freed 10 American sailors from two small Navy vessels that strayed into Iranian waters, prompting their overnight detention.

The detention forced Washington to open direct contacts with Iran, seeking their release. A senior US defence official told reporters in Washington that the sailors were not harmed, but would undergo medical evaluation and a debriefing in Qatar.

Meanwhile, another American crew took their vessels to Bahrain, their original destination and home base to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The release ended a potential flashpoint as Iran and world powers move toward the possible next steps in a landmark nuclear deal that limits Tehran’s atomic programme in exchange for the easing of international economic sanctions.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2016