Iranian state TV confirmed Saturday that Tehran has detained three Americans after they crossed the border from northern Iraq, AP reported. The Kurdish regional government's envoy to Washington, Qubad Talabani, told The Associated Press the three were tourists and had mistakenly crossed into Iranian territory Friday while hiking in a mountainous area near the town of Ahmed Awaa. «The Iranians said they have arrested them because they entered their land without legal permission,» he said. Iran's state owned Arabic-language al-Alam TV station cited a «well-informed source» in the Interior Ministry that the three Americans were detained Friday after crossing into Iran's Kurdistan province. The report said the Americans were arrested after they failed to heed warnings from Iranian border guards. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Friday the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad «is investigating. We are using all available means to determine the facts in this case.» The U.S. Embassy said Saturday it was still unable to confirm any details.
