Criticism of Government Diplomacy for the Release of Iranian Fishermen

Uncertainty regarding the fate of three Iranian fishermen detained by Kuwait has drawn criticism from the commander of the Bushehr IRGC, the involvement of the National Security Commission of the Parliament in this case, and a response from the public prosecutor of Bushehr province. On Sunday, February 6, local websites in Bushehr reported that three Iranian fishermen were detained by Kuwaiti forces on Thursday, February 5, and transferred into the territory of Kuwait. Abdolhasan Bakhtar, Iman Daryapour, and Abbas Abbasi are the three fishermen who have been detained for 10 days, and officials in Bushehr province say they are still unaware of their fate. According to the local website 'Sook', Fathollah Jamiri, the commander of the Bushehr IRGC, described the detention of these individuals as 'disturbing news' and the lack of information about their fate as a 'weakness' of the government's diplomatic apparatus. Mr. Jamiri stated that the fate of the fishermen who are 'in the custody of the Kuwaitis' must be clarified as soon as possible. Ismail Kowsari, a member of Parliament, also announced on Tuesday, February 14, in an interview with the 'Mizan' news agency that the National Security Commission of the Parliament is looking into the case of the detention of these three fishermen. Mr. Kowsari mentioned, 'We will ask the officials of the Foreign Ministry about this matter to find out the latest status of our fishermen and the conditions for their release.' This member of the National Security Commission of the Parliament also predicted that the Iranian fishermen would be released soon. The day before, Ali Hassanpour, the public prosecutor and revolutionary prosecutor of Bushehr, announced the continuation of judicial follow-ups to learn about the fate of these fishermen. Hassanpour stated, 'Based on the report from the Coast Guard, a case has been opened for three other fishermen related to illegal fishing, and the case is under preliminary investigation.' The local website 'Bushehr News' also published a note stating that the Kuwaiti officials' ignorance about the fate of the three detained Iranians is 'contrary to reality.' This website also reported the release of a new video indicating 'inhumane behavior by the Kuwaitis towards one of the Bushehr fishermen.' Last week, a video showing the 'amputation of the fingers' of these fishermen was released, which judicial officials in Bushehr province stated, 'Such a video cannot be relied upon.' Southern Iran shares significant maritime borders with some Arab countries such as Kuwait, where reports of fishermen being detained in these waters are published every year. Local fishermen are usually arrested on charges of 'illegal' entry into the waters of the country that has detained them, imprisoned for a period, and then released after negotiations. In this context, the detention of three Iranian fishermen by Kuwait; reactions to the 'amputation of fingers' video; changing the playing field of 'proxy actors'; war against the people in the streets of Iran; the first paragraph; the responsibility of opponents and the possibility of radicalization of Iranian society; the death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis.