PM Voices His Disgust ; The World Today

Mar 31, 01:38 AM

Current Headlines: By Alan Harris

TONY BLAIR voiced his "disgust" with Iran after Tehran broadcast a second televised "confession" by a captured Royal Navy sailor, apologising for "trespassing" into Iranian waters.

The broadcast has prolonged the agony for a Warwickshire couple after a third letter purportedly written by their daughter-in-law and leading seaman Faye Turney was released.

A clearly angry Prime Minister said the Iranians' "manipulation" of the British prisoners would "fool no one".

He insisted the crisis could only be resolved by the release of all 15 sailors and Royal Marines seized by the Iranians last Friday.

At the same time, Mr Blair appeared to be digging in for a prolonged stand-off - warning that Britain would have to show "patience" as well as "firmness and determination" in its handling of the crisis.

Certainly Tehran appeared to be in no mood to compromise.

The second televised "confession" showed footage of Royal Navy sailor Nathan Thomas Summers with a third letter purportedly written by Leading Seaman Turney complaining that she had been "sacrificed" to British and US policies.

The letter also said that the British detainees had received better treatment than Iraqi prisoners held by Britain and the US at Abu Ghraib.

In the latest footage, shown on Iran's Arabic language station Al Alam, Mr Summers is shown saying: "I would like to apologise for entering your waters without any permission."

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