Tehran, Jan 13, IRNA – 'We've received assurances from the Iranians, both that our sailors are safe, that they’re afforded sort of the care – sort of the proper - courtesy that you'd expect,' White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.


White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told CNN on Tuesday evening.

Excerpts from White House Press Secretary remarks on custody of American sailors follows:

'I can tell you that US officials have been in touch with the Iranians about this situation. This is obviously a situation that we're monitoring closely. We've received assurances from the Iranians, both that our sailors are safe, that they're being – that they’re afforded sort of the care – sort of the proper - courtesy that you'd expect. We've also most importantly received assurances they will be allowed to continue their journey promptly. So this is - the substance of the communications that we have with the Iranians so far today, and it's a situation we're going to continue to watch closely….. we're still learning more about the precise circumstances of this particular incident, so I don't want to say anything based on the first unconfirmed information we have at this point. The thing I can tell you we are watching this closely, and we have received assurances from the Iranians that our sailors are safe and that they will be allowed to continue their journey promptly.'

Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) declared Wednesday morning that the arrested US boats crew are healthy and well-situated in Farsi Island.

IRGC Public Relations Department, in a statement, said that the US navy boats were stopped Tuesday at 4:30 PM (local time) when they entered Iranian territorial waters near Farsi Island in the middle of the Persian Gulf.

IRGC said that the US boats crew are healthy and will be treated well according to the Islamic Law.

IRGC declared that the US navy boats entered Iranian territorial waters illegally.

By IRNA