Families hope for release of 3 Americans from Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The families of three Americans detained in Iran expressed hope on Tuesday that they would be released soon and stated that the trio inadvertently strayed across the border on a hiking excursion in Iraq.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department demanded that Iran give Swiss diplomats access to the three Americans -- Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27. The Swiss represent U.S. interests in Iran because Washington does not have diplomatic relations with Tehran.

"It is now twelve days since our children were detained in Iran, when they strayed across the border while on a brief hiking vacation in Iraqi Kurdistan," the families of the three Americans said in a joint statement sent to reporters.

"We believe that when the Iranian authorities speak to our children, they will realize that Shane, Sarah and Josh had no intention of entering Iran and will allow them to leave the country and reunite with their families," they said.

"We continue to hope that this misunderstanding will be resolved as quickly as possible," the families added.

Mohammad Karamirad, a leading Iranian lawmaker, said on Monday that the illegal entry of the three detained Americans into Iranian territory may have been related to unrest that followed Iran's June presidential election.

"In the most optimistic scenario, we think that the three had plans to interfere in Iran's internal affairs," Karamirad said, according to the official IRNA news agency.

A security official in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has said the three Americans wandered across northern Iraq's border with Iran near Ahmed Awa and were detained. There is no clear border marker between Iran and Iraq at Ahmed Awa.

The families said, "Shane, Sarah and Josh are young travelers who share a great love of the world and a deep respect for different cultures, societies and religions."

U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the Swiss ambassador was formally notified on Tuesday by the Iranian government that it has three Americans in detention.

"Iran has obligations under the Vienna Convention and we demand consular access at the first opportunity," Crowley told reporters at the State Department.

Bauer and Shourd were living in the Syrian capital Damascus, where Fattal was visiting before their hiking trip, the families said.

White House National Security Adviser James Jones said on Sunday the United States has strongly urged Iran to release the three Americans. "These are innocent people," Jones said. "We want their families reunited, and we would like to have it done as quickly as possible."

(Editing by Will Dunham)