Iranian Commander Speaks of Marines Capture: US Fighter Jets Left Region after Iran’s Stern Warning

“When the US forces (marines) were captured by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Farsi island, the US fighters rushed to fly over (the island),” Esmayeeli said, addressing a ceremony in the Northern province of Gilan.

“But we warned them that if they approached Iran, we would bring them the hell fire (and they left the region),” he added.

The IRGC seized two US Navy boats on January 12 and detained ten US marines on Iran’s Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. Nine men and one woman arrived in Iran’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf illegally when they were captured by the IRGC Navy. They were freed a day later.

Each of the two US Navy boats that were 3 nautical miles deep into the Iranian waters when they were captured by the IRGC Navy’s second naval zone were equipped with three 50mm caliber machine guns and other light and semi-heavy weapons.

In relevant remarks last Saturday, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi blamed the US navy for its excited and unprofessional moves after Iran arrested its marines, and said the US navy’s amateurish behavior could end up in Iran’s tough response which could send all its warships deep down the waters in the Persian Gulf.

“Had the US continued its unprofessional deeds after the detention of its 10 marines by the IRGC, all its warships could have gone sinking,” Fadavi said in a meeting with a number of Iranian media managers in Tehran.

Noting that insecurity in the Persian Gulf has increased 9-fold ever since the US deployed troops in the Persian Gulf, he said this is not the first time that the US marines have been arrested by the IRGC forces.

“We have detained the American and the British sailors in our waters twice and for some reasons we didn’t reveal the detention of the Americans the first time we arrested them,” Fadavi said.

Noting that based on Islamic guidelines, the Iranian military should not mistreat the captives, he said the US marines who were detained earlier this week were even privileged to watch the European Cup football tournament.

Fadavi said not long ago, a French warship also entered Iran’s territorial waters but when it faced the Iranian forces’ harsh reaction and was surrounded by the IRGC speed boats, it hoisted the flag of the Islamic Republic and fled the scene.

He said since long ago Iran has banned military vessels of 6 countries, including the US, through its waters, meaning that these countries’ naval vessels cannot go through its territorial waters.

Also on Friday, Fadavi said the US warships are now feeling much distressed when passing through the Strait of Hormuz after 10 of their marines were arrested for trespassing Iran’s territorial waters.

“The Americans are passing through the Strait of Hormuz with a lot of psychological stress,” Admiral Fadavi said in an interview with the state-run TV.

He, meantime, said that the speed of IRGC’s missile-launcher vessels is twice the US navy’s and it will be increased to three times in the near future.