The Hill – Feb. 10, 2016 – Iranian state media has released new video and photos that appear to show a U.S. sailor crying while being detained last month.
The footage is sure to enrage U.S. lawmakers who have criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the incident.
The video and stills, which are also being shared on social media, show an unidentified U.S. sailor with red eyes wiping his eyes with a tissue.
On Jan. 12, two Navy riverine boats carrying 10 sailors strayed into Iranian waters after what the Pentagon has called a “navigational error.” Iran detained the sailors for 16 hours.
The administration has painted the incident as a win for diplomacy because the sailors were released quickly.
But Obama’s critics have decried that characterization, saying the incident shows how Iran has been emboldened by the recently enacted nuclear deal.
Iran previously released photos and video that showed the sailors kneeling with their hands behind their heads, as well as a sailor apologizing for going into Iranian waters.