The Guardian online reports that Israel’s Foreign Ministry has responded to controversial comments made by Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom. A ministry spokesman said that Wallstrom had been “incendiary and aggressive” in calling for an investigation into what she termed “extrajudicial killings” by Israeli forces of Palestinians who have launched recent knife attacks against Israelis. The spokesman confirmed that Wallstrom is currently not welcome in Israel.

There is widespread coverage of the return by Iran of ten American military naval crew who drifted into Iranian territorial waters earlier this week due to a mechanical fault. The Times, Independent, Guardian, Independent i, Daily Mail and Evening Standard all report that the US crew apologised for their mistake on Iranian television and were then released. The incident comes just days ahead of Iran’s anticipated compliance with July’s nuclear deal and the subsequent lifting of international sanctions on Tehran.

The Guardian emphasises that US Secretary of State John Kerry hailed the swift resolution to the incident as a triumph for diplomacy, while the Financial Times online says that it is evidence of the determination by Iran’s President Rouhani and other relative moderates to implement the nuclear agreement. The Telegraph notes that the head of Iran’s armed forces warned that the incident “should be a lesson to troublemakers in the US Congress,” who have worked against the nuclear deal.

The Guardian reports that the United States and European Union are expected to formally lift sanctions on Iran this weekend, following a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency tomorrow over Iran’s compliance with the nuclear accord. Writing in the Independent, Kim Sengupta says that despite the quick and peaceful conclusion over the American sailors and the impending implementation of the nuclear deal, “The future is unlikely to be plain sailing” when it comes to Iran-Western relations.

Meanwhile, the Independent and Independent i both carry an account by a resident of the Syrian town of Madaya of life there over the past several months, as it was besieged by Syrian government troops and Hezbollah fighters. The resident recounts deciding who should eat and who should die. Meanwhile, the Times online says that although some United Nations aid has reached Madaya, starving people there are continuing to die.

The top story in Yediot Ahronot, which is also covered prominently in Maariv, is the release of ten US military naval crew by Iranian authorities. Both publications refer to the incident, in which the American crew apologised on Iranian television as a “humiliation,” publishing pictures of the sailors surrendering with their hands in the air. Israel Hayom refers to the incident as “Friendship – Iranian style,” in reference to the thawing relations between Tehran and the West.

Maariv and Yediot Ahronot also focus heavily on the tension between Israel and Sweden, following the controversial comments made by Sweden’s Foreign Minister. Israel Radio news says that the Swedish Ambassador to Israel was summoned yesterday to Israel’s Foreign Ministry and reprimanded over the incident.

Haaretz and Yediot Ahronot both prominently cover a decision by the Likud Party to cancel the formality of an actual leadership ballot, given that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the sole candidate. Likud rules state that a leadership contest must be held at least six months prior to an election, but Netanyahu pushed for an early vote. With no other candidates, he is set to lead the party into the next election and beyond. Writing in Yediot Ahronot, Sima Kadmon criticises Netanyahu for advancing the vote, assuring that potential opponents would have no time to organise, calling it “miserable” and “sad.”