Iran claims citizen detention after Kuwait reports IRGC infiltration attempt

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s chief diplomat on Wednesday accused Kuwait of attacking an Iranian boat and detaining its citizens, calling for their immediate release and stressing Tehran’s right to respond. Abbas Araghchi’s remarks come a day after Kuwait accused members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of attempting to infiltrate its largest island to carry out “hostile acts.”

“In a clear attempt to sow discord, Kuwait has unlawfully attacked an Iranian boat and detained 4 of our citizens in the Persian Gulf,” Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on X, adding that “this illegal act took place near an island used by the U.S. to attack Iran.”

“We demand immediate release of our nationals and reserve the right to respond,” the Iranian diplomat noted.

Araghchi’s remarks come a day after Kuwait’s foreign ministry issued a “strong condemnation” over what it described as an “armed group from the IRGC infiltrating Bubiyan Island to carry out hostile acts.”

According to the ministry, the group “engaged in a clash with the Kuwaiti Armed Forces before being apprehended,” an incident that resulted in the injury of a Kuwaiti military member.

Affirming its “inherent right to self-defense” and calling for “an immediate and unconditional end to these illegitimate hostile acts,” Kuwait affirmed that it “will take all necessary measures to protect its people, residents, and sovereignty in accordance with international law.”

Bubiyan is Kuwait’s largest island, located at the northwestern tip of the Persian Gulf where Kuwait, Iran, and Iraq converge.

The incident comes as tensions continue to escalate between Iran and Gulf Arab states following the six-week war that erupted when the United States and Israel launched a wide-scale aerial campaign striking thousands of targets across Iran on February 28.

In response, Iran carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.

The six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in early March sent a joint letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) formally condemning the Iranian drone and missile attacks on their territories, accusing Tehran of hitting vital civilian infrastructure, including international airports and energy facilities, while “endangering the lives of millions of innocent civilians.”

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN, in early May responded to that letter arguing that “by allowing military bases on their territory to be used for launching fire and airstrikes against Iran, they [GCC states] have participated in the aggression against Iran.”

The US and Iran agreed to a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire on April 8, halting hostilities to create space for negotiations. While the first round of talks concluded without a final agreement on April 11, a second round has yet to take place, as the broader conflict remains unresolved.

In parallel with the talks, multiple incidents have been reported across several Gulf states, with authorities attributing them to Iran or Iran-aligned armed groups in the region.