Arrest of 21 Fishermen from Arab Countries for 'Unauthorized' Entry into Iranian Waters

Three fishing vessels belonging to one of the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf were seized due to what has been described as 'unauthorized entry' into Iranian waters, and 21 crew members were arrested. Iranian news agencies reported on Tuesday (January 3) citing Rahim Jahangir, the commander of the Coast Guard in Kish, about the seizure of these three vessels and the fishermen. Mr. Jahangir stated that these vessels had entered approximately 12 kilometers into the waters of the Islamic Republic and were engaged in fishing, particularly for the rare and endangered white shark species. According to this law enforcement official, the captains of these vessels, along with their crew members, were arrested by judicial order. The commander of the Coast Guard in Kish added that fishing for 'white sharks' under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran carries 'heavy penalties' with fines ranging from '300 to 400 million rials.' According to Iranian officials, this year, 12 vessels belonging to Arab countries in the Persian Gulf have entered the country's waters 'illegally,' leading to their seizure. Southern Iran has significant shared maritime borders with some Arab countries, and reports of fishermen being arrested in these waters are published annually. Local fishermen are usually arrested on charges of 'illegal' entry into the waters of the country that detained them, imprisoned for a period, and released after negotiations. Arrests of fishermen in the Persian Gulf have significantly increased in recent years amid rising political tensions between Iran and some other countries in the region. In August of this year, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior announced that its coast guard forces had arrested '10 infiltrating Iranians' for 'attempting illegal and clandestine entry' into the country. On August 23, Colonel Amin Khosravi, the commander of the Coast Guard in Bushehr, reported the seizure of three boats and one fishing vessel by the Saudi Arabian Navy, stating that he had no information on the fate of 16 fishermen from these vessels. On February 6 of last year, some local websites in Bushehr reported that three Iranian fishermen had been arrested by Kuwaiti forces and transferred into the territory of that country. About 40 days later, media reported the discovery of the bodies of two Bushehr fishermen in Kuwaiti waters, but the cause of their death was not disclosed.