BBC: Iran’s state owned TV has denied a report from the semi-official Fars news agency that Iranian forces had detained seven US troops trying to enter the country.
BBC News
Iran’s state owned TV has denied a report from the semi-official Fars news agency that Iranian forces had detained seven US troops trying to enter the country.
Fars had earlier said that: “Recently seven American troops were detained by Iranian guards in a south-eastern province of the country… Two Iranians accompanying the troops were also arrested”.
US officials say they have no knowledge of the reported arrests.
South-east Iran borders on Pakistan and Afghanistan.
But there are no US troops usually stationed in the reported area, says the BBC’s Jon Leyne in Cairo.
Our correspondent says the Fars news agency is known to be close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, but it has made spectacular mistakes in the past.
The announcement comes amid growing tension over two US hikers who have been detained for about a year.
A third member of the group was released on bail and is on her way to the US. Iran says the hikers are spies and will be tried. Families say they strayed inside Iran by mistake.
