Iran pushed back Tuesday against accusations from Kuwait that members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were involved in an infiltration attempt, saying the allegations were unfounded and warning against politicizing the incident.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry dismissed accusations made by Kuwait’s foreign and interior ministries alleging that Iran had planned hostile actions against Kuwait.
The foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns the improper action of the Kuwaiti government in politically and propagandistically exploiting the case."
According to the statement, the four individuals were carrying out a routine maritime patrol mission when a disruption in their navigation system caused them to enter Kuwaiti territorial waters.
Iran reiterated its stated policy of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all regional countries, including Kuwait, and urged Kuwaiti authorities to avoid "hasty statements and unfounded claims” and instead pursue the matter through official channels.
The Foreign Ministry also called for Iranian embassy officials in Kuwait to be granted access to the detained Iranians "as soon as possible” in line with international law and demanded their immediate release.
Earlier Tuesday, Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said four people affiliated with the IRGC were arrested while attempting to enter the country by sea.
According to the state news agency KUNA, the suspects admitted during questioning that they belonged to the IRGC and had been tasked with infiltrating Bubiyan Island aboard a rented fishing boat to carry out "hostile acts against Kuwait.”
The ministry added that a Kuwaiti security officer was injured during clashes with the infiltrators.
Following the incident, Kuwait summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Totonji and handed him a formal protest note over what it described as an "armed infiltration” by IRGC elements.
Regional tensions have escalated since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as U.S. allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A cease-fire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by U.S. President Donald Trump without a set deadline.
