Iran Did Not Want Apology for Boats Incident: Biden
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Following the release of ten US sailors after a brief detention in Iran on Wednesday, US Vice President Joe Biden said Iranians were “not looking for apology” and the US gave “no apology”.
"…there was no looking for any apology. This was just standard nautical practice, Biden told CBS News on Wednesday.
He added that there was "no apology" given.
The vice president explained that the "the Iranians picked up both boats -- as we have picked up Iranian boats that needed to be rescued."
He continued that Iranian officials then "realized they were there in distress and said they would release them, and released them -- like ordinary nations would do."
He added that situations like the capture of the two US Navy boats were exactly "why it's important to have channels open" with the Middle East power.
On Wednesday, the IRGC Public Relations said in a statement that the sailors were freed following an apology from the US and after technical and operational investigations indicated that the intrusion into Iranian territorial waters was "unintentional".
The seizure took place at 4:30 P.M. local time, Tuesday, when the two American combat vessels, with 10 armed sailors on board, entered Iran’s territorial waters near the island of Farsi.
