Iran denies seizing Iraqi coast guards

The Iranian charge de affairs in Baghdad, Hassan Kazimi Qami, denied that Iran has seized members of the Iraqi coast guards.

This came after a meeting between Kazimi and the interim Iraqi foreign minister Hoshiar Zeibari who summoned the Iranian diplomat seeking the release of nine members of the coasts guards which he said the Iranian authorities detained after a confrontation in Shat al-Arab area during an attempt to foil what was suspected to be an oil smuggling operation.

Basra governor Muhammad al- Waeili accused the Iranian forces of killing one Iraqi and kidnapping other eight. But he said in a later statement he cannot confirm the killing. He explained that the Iraqi coast guards went into a ship manned by Iranian sailors and suspected them of smuggling oil in the Iraqi waters and alleged that an Iranian coast guard group intercepted The Iraqi coast guards and detained them.