Tensions in the Persian Gulf reached a new peak on Wednesday as the Iranian regime issued a formal threat of retaliation against Kuwait, AFP reported.
The diplomatic row follows the arrest of four Iranian nationals whom Kuwaiti authorities have identified as high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) caught attempting to infiltrate the country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to social media to condemn the maritime incident, characterizing the arrests as an "unlawful" assault. Araghchi’s remarks specifically linked the event to the ongoing regional conflict involving the United States.
"In clear attempt to sow discord, Kuwait has unlawfully attacked an Iranian boat and detained 4 of our citizens in the Persian Gulf. This illegal act took place near island used by the U.S. to attack Iran," Araghchi wrote. "We demand immediate release of our nationals and reserve right to respond."
The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry provided a starkly different account of the encounter. According to a statement released via the state news agency KUNA, the four individuals were apprehended earlier this month during a clandestine attempt to reach Bubiyan Island by sea.
Following their capture, the ministry reported that the suspects confessed to their status as active members of Iran's ideological military. The detainees have been identified as two navy colonels, a captain, and a lieutenant commander. Kuwaiti officials assert that the group’s specific mission, dictated by the IRGC, was to "infiltrate" the strategic island.
In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed these findings as "absolutely baseless." Tehran maintains that the military officers were not engaged in a hostile mission but had inadvertently crossed into Kuwaiti territorial waters due to a "disruption in the navigation system."
Previously, Kuwait said it uncovered a plot by Iranian proxy Hezbollah to assassinate "leaders of the state".
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior said six people had confessed to espionage and terrorist activities, including training in "assassination skills". Five were Kuwaiti citizens.
It said another 14 suspects, including Kuwaitis, Lebanese and Iranians, had been identified outside the country.
The Hezbollah terrorist organization denied the accusations, insisting it “has no presence in the state of Kuwait or any other country" and calling the accusations “removed from reality and devoid of truth."