UK, Iran keep diplomacy option open for sailors
Monday, April 2, 2007
Even as Britain and Iran in the continuing sailor standoff sought to keep open the door to diplomacy, Iranian media reported that Iran has formally protested at what it called a "British shootout" around its consulate in the southern Iraqi port city of Basra last Thursday.
"Following British forces' movements and shootout around the Iranian consulate in Basra the foreign ministry submitted a note of protest to the British embassy in Tehran" on March 30, the ministry said in a statement.
The British military denied any such incident occurred, saying its soldiers had come under fire during a routine patrol near the consulate but did not leave their vehicles.
Ahmadinejad was outside Tehran yesterday, visiting the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war front in the west of the country to mark the anniversary of the 1979 foundation of the Islamic republic.
Last Saturday he again called for Britain to apologise.
"The arrogant issue statements and issue demands against the Iranian people, instead of apologising and expressing regret over the British sailors entering Iranian waters," he said, quoted by the state news agency Irna.
Tehran has so far refused to bow to pressure to free the captives, who are being held in a secret location and occasionally paraded on state television allegedly confessing and apologising.
Britain insists they were on a routine anti-smuggling patrol in Iraqi waters under a UN mandate, but the Islamic republic says they had strayed into its territorial waters on March 23.
US President George W Bush called Iran's seizure of the 15 Britons inexcusable and demanded the release of the "hostages".
"It's inexcusable behaviour and I strongly support the (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair government's attempts to resolve this peacefully," Bush told a news conference last Saturday.
"I support the prime minister when he made it clear there were no quid pro quos," said Bush, whose country's ties with Tehran have been severed for decades. "The Iranians must give back the hostages."
The US has rejected any suggestion that the 15 could be swapped for five Iranian officials held by US forces in Iraq since January.
Last Friday the EU foreign ministers deplored the seizure of the Britons as a breach of international law.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, visiting Iran's arch-foe Israel yesterday, said Britain has Germany's full backing. "We demand the release of the 15 soldiers," she said.
In Pakistan, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a key ruling party figure, told Iranian ambassador Mashallah Shakiri the 14 men and one woman should not be punished.AFP
"Following British forces' movements and shootout around the Iranian consulate in Basra the foreign ministry submitted a note of protest to the British embassy in Tehran" on March 30, the ministry said in a statement.
The British military denied any such incident occurred, saying its soldiers had come under fire during a routine patrol near the consulate but did not leave their vehicles.
Ahmadinejad was outside Tehran yesterday, visiting the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war front in the west of the country to mark the anniversary of the 1979 foundation of the Islamic republic.
Last Saturday he again called for Britain to apologise.
"The arrogant issue statements and issue demands against the Iranian people, instead of apologising and expressing regret over the British sailors entering Iranian waters," he said, quoted by the state news agency Irna.
Tehran has so far refused to bow to pressure to free the captives, who are being held in a secret location and occasionally paraded on state television allegedly confessing and apologising.
Britain insists they were on a routine anti-smuggling patrol in Iraqi waters under a UN mandate, but the Islamic republic says they had strayed into its territorial waters on March 23.
US President George W Bush called Iran's seizure of the 15 Britons inexcusable and demanded the release of the "hostages".
"It's inexcusable behaviour and I strongly support the (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair government's attempts to resolve this peacefully," Bush told a news conference last Saturday.
"I support the prime minister when he made it clear there were no quid pro quos," said Bush, whose country's ties with Tehran have been severed for decades. "The Iranians must give back the hostages."
The US has rejected any suggestion that the 15 could be swapped for five Iranian officials held by US forces in Iraq since January.
Last Friday the EU foreign ministers deplored the seizure of the Britons as a breach of international law.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, visiting Iran's arch-foe Israel yesterday, said Britain has Germany's full backing. "We demand the release of the 15 soldiers," she said.
In Pakistan, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a key ruling party figure, told Iranian ambassador Mashallah Shakiri the 14 men and one woman should not be punished.AFP
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