'Revolutionary Guards deny reports of US troops' arrests'

Iranian news agency says 7 Americans, 2 Iranians detained; NATO claims none missing; comes as released American hiker makes her way home.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Iranian Revolutionary Guards volunteers (photo credit: Associated Press)
Iranian Revolutionary Guards volunteers
(photo credit: Associated Press)
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have denied reports that seven US soldiers were arrested on Sunday, according to an al-Alam report cited by Reuters. The semi-official Iranian news agency Fars reported the incident earlier on Sunday afternoon.
Reuters also quoted NATO spokesman US Capt. Ryan Donald as saying that no US soldiers were missing.
Fars had not reported where the incident took place, and gave no further information.
The BBC reported that there are no US troops usually stationed in the area, and noted that the Fars news agency is "known to be close" to the Revolutionary Guards.
Al-Jazeera also cited the Fars report, which added that "Two Iranians accompanying the troops were also arrested."
The reported incident came as an American woman released from Iran after more than 13 months in custody began her journey back to the United States on Saturday.
Sarah Shourd and two other Americans were detained in July 2009 along the Iraqi border. Iran has issued espionage-related indictments, which could bring trials for the two men and proceedings in absentia for Shourd. Their families say that if they crossed the border, they did so unintentionally.