After acknowledging the arrest of Kuwaiti citizen Hussein Al-Fadhala over a month ago, Tehran has retracted its statement, denying any knowledge of him and insisting that it had no knowledge of its forces arresting any Kuwaitis in Gulf waters. Iran previously said that Fadhala would be released after it completed its naval exercises in the Gulf.
A senior Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry official said that the ministry finds Tehran’s denial of Al-Fadhala’s arrest somewhat puzzling since it had previously conceded that he had been detained. The official said that the ministry has kept up its efforts to expedite the Kuwaiti citizen’s release and the issue was the subject of discussions during Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah’s recent visit to Iran.
Al-Fadhala’s family said that the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Iran told them previously that he had personally spoken to their son in detention, telling them that he was in good health.