09.07.2004, 21:52
Zitat:TEHRAN (Reuters) - Kuwait has seized three Iranian fishing boats after they strayed into its waters in the latest in a string of incidents involving Iran and its Gulf neighbors, Iranian state television said Friday.Quelle: <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5630838">www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type= ... ID=5630838</a><!-- w -->
The boats' seizure, which appears to reflect stricter enforcement of territorial boundaries by Iran and its Gulf neighbors in recent weeks, came just two weeks after Iran captured and held three British naval vessels and their eight crew for three days.
The latest spat with Kuwait comes after an Iranian fishing boat was captured in the waters of the United Arab Emirates last month. Another Iranian fishing boat was fired upon by a Qatari naval vessel and later seized in similar circumstances.
Iran, which has made efforts to improve relations with its Arab neighbors under President Mohammad Khatami's reformist government, retaliated by seizing a number of fishing boats from the United Arab Emirates.
State television said Iran's embassy in Kuwait had confirmed the seizure of the three Iranian vessels and their crew.
"The Iranian embassy will follow up the issue Saturday," television quoted an unnamed Iranian diplomat as saying.