Jordan nationals arrested in Iranian territorial waters

By Laith al-Junaidi</p> <p><br></p> <p>AMMAN (AA) – Jordan’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said three Jordanian nationals who went missing while on a fishing trip in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had been arrested by Iranian authorities after “mistakenly” entering Iranian territorial waters.</p> <p><br></p> <p>In a statement, ministry spokesman Majed al-Qatarneh said the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday had informed the Jordanian embassy in Tehran that the trio had been arrested in Iranian waters.</p> <p><br></p> <p>According to al-Qatarneh, the ministry had contacted the Iranian authorities, which have since confirmed that the three Jordanians were in good health and were being treated well.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The Iranian authorities also told the Jordanian Foreign Ministry that the three would be held for a “short time” after which they would be referred to a court in southwestern Iran.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Al-Qatarneh said: “The embassy contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry to ask about legal procedures for securing their release, which the embassy will follow in coordination with the Iranian authorities.”</p> <p><br></p> <p>On Sunday, Jordan announced that a fishing boat — carrying three Jordanians, two Egyptians and one Emirati — had gone missing on Thursday in the Persian Gulf.