Iran denies seizing US troops at border
Iranian officials denied yesterday reports that its security forces seized seven US troops near the Islamic republic's border with Pakistan, Tehran-based Al-Alam television and Press TV reported.
"No American troops have been arrested. We deny it," Ali Mohammad Azad, the governor general of Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province, told the Arabic language Al-Alam network.
The channel said a source with the provincial border patrol services had also denied the arrest reported earlier by hardline news website Javanonline.ir, which is close to the elite Revolutionary Guards.
Iran's English-language Press TV said the guards rejected the reports that US troops have been arrested as "unfounded" as Javanonline also denied its report as "incorrect" and "apologised" to its readers.
In the United States, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told AFP: "We are aware of the story and are looking into it, but have no information that would confirm it to be true."
"It has been heard that seven US forces along with two Iranians who intended to enter Iranian territory at the Kuhak border area near Saravan were identified and arrested by border patrols," Javanonline had said earlier yesterday.
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