Three Jordanians detained in Iranian waters to be freed soon — Officials

TEHRAN: Three Jordanians arrested in December after straying into Iranian territorial waters from the United Arab Emirates will be freed soon, Iranian and Jordanian officials said on Wednesday.

“The judicial process is nearing an end (and) they will be freed soon,” an Iranian official source said.

“Because this was the first time they committed this violation, they were dealt with leniently and they might at the most get fined,” the source added.

Jordan said its embassy in Tehran had been notified by Iranian officials that the three men would be released after paying a fine for straying into Iranian territorial waters and ‘illegal fishing’.

The foreign ministry in Amman said the embassy would pay the fine and was working closely with Iranian authorities to organise the men’s return home as soon as possible.

Their case was raised on Monday by Jordanian parliament speaker Atef al-Tarawneh in a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Amman, Mojtaba Ferdosipour.

Last month Jordan’s foreign ministry said the three men, accompanied by Emirati and Egyptian friends, had entered Iranian waters ‘by mistake’ during a boat trip on Dec 27.

Iran had said at the time the Jordanians would be tried and fined in the coastal city of Bandar Lengeh, but without giving a date, according to a ministry spokesman. — AFP