Jordanians who went missing on Emirati boat detained in Iran

AMMAN — The Iranian foreign ministry on Tuesday informed the Jordanian embassy in Tehran that three Jordanians had been detained while in Iranian waters, a ministry statement said on Wednesday.

Contact had been lost since last Thursday with an Emirati fishing boat carrying three Jordanian citizens, an Emirati and two Egyptian nationals. 

The boat accidentally entered Iranian waters after losing contact, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates spokesperson Majed Qatarneh was quoted as saying in the statement.

The ministry contacted Iranian officials, who confirmed that the three Jordanians were in good health and were receiving treatment.

The Iranian authorities said that the detention period would be short, noting that the detainees had to be referred to a court in Bandar Lengeh city, in south-western Iran, the statement added.

Qatarneh said that the embassy received on Wednesday morning a telephone call from one of the detained Jordanians who said that they were receiving good treatment. The citizen said that they would have to pay a fine and pay bail prior to their release.

The embassy contacted the Iranian foreign ministry to inquire about these procedures and said it would follow up with the Iranian authorities on the release of the Jordanians.