Publish Date: 21 June 2018 - 15:40

TEHRAN, Jun. 21 (MNA) – 17 Iranian sailors who were detained in Somalia in October 2017 on charges of trespassing into Somalia's waters, were released and returned home on Thursday.

A local court in Somalia had sentenced 17 Iranian sailors to two years in prison and to pay fines.

Their release came after efforts on the part of Iranian diplomats in Kenya who held talks with Somalian officials.

Somalia delivered Iranian sailors to Iran’s embassy in Kenya and finally the sailors arrived in Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on Thursday.

Hossein Panahi-Azar, deputy for Foreign Minister for Iranians and parliamentary affairs welcomed sailors at the airport.

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