The swift release of American sailors who had entered Iranian waters was hailed by many as a sign of the improved relations between Iran and the United States. Critics, however, believe "improved" is the wrong word.
As Al-Monitor's Laura Rozen reported Jan. 13, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke on the phone five times over the course of 10 hours Jan. 12 to secure the sailors' release.