Iranian FM official: case of British sailors reportedly detained in Gulf under investigation

Iran official: British sailors’ case investigated

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman says the case of five British sailors reportedly detained after their racing yacht was stopped in the Persian Gulf is “being investigated.”

But Ramin Mehmanparast did not confirm or deny the British were taken into custody by the Iranian navy. He only said on Tuesday that “the case and its details are under investigation.”

The British government said Iran is holding the five yachtsmen after their “Kingdom of Bahrain” yacht, owned by Sail Bahrain, was stopped last Wednesday, possibly after straying inadvertently into Iranian waters. The yacht was to join the Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race on November 26.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Britain has been in touch about the matter with their Iranian counterparts.