Iran Ignores Pressure to Free Sailors

Apr 01, 07:09 PM

Current Headlines: TEHERAN: Iran yesterday ignored growing international pressure to release 15 British sailors and marines, saying London should change its attitude over the nine-day standoff.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying on state television yesterday: "Iran is waiting for a change in Britain's attitude and a balanced stance over our legal demands (for apology)."

Britain softened its rhetoric against Iran as its Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett expressed regret over the situation on Saturday.

She urged Iran to resolve the crisis peacefully, saying Britain was open to dialogue. "We continue to express our willingness to engage in dialogue and discussions with Iran," she said at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Bremen, Germany.

"I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen," she said. "What we want is a way out of it."

A British Foreign Office source said yesterday: "For the last couple of days we have been toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose. This is a small step back to give people a little space and to see whether we get anything substantive from the Iranians."

Iran seized the 15 British sailors and marines from what it said was "Iranian territory", while Britain claims they were in "Iraqi waters".

In his first public comment on the crisis, US President George W. Bush said on Saturday that the capture of the 15 Britons by Iran was "inexcusable".

Calling for their immediate, unconditional release, Bush said: "Iran must give back the hostages."

"They're innocent. They did nothing wrong," he said at the Camp David presidential retreat.

But Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stuck to Iran's tough line, insisting the Britons had trespassed into Iranian waters. He called world powers "arrogant" for failing to apologize.

"The British occupier forces did trespass our waters. Our border guards detained them with skill and bravery," Iran's official news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. "But arrogant powers, because of their arrogant and selfish spirit, are claiming otherwise."

Adding to the tense atmosphere, about 200 students threw stones and burning firecrackers at the British embassy in Teheran yesterday, demanding the country's ambassador be expelled.

Several small blasts rocked the embassy and smoke rose from inside the compound. One witness said he heard eight blasts that came from small, home-made explosive devices.

The British Foreign Office, however, said there was no damage to the embassy compound.

Also, Iran has sent a letter to the British embassy in Teheran, complaining about a shooting by British troops near its consulate in the Iraqi city of Basra on Thursday, Iran's ISNA news agency reported. Iran has termed it as a "provocative act".

Britain has, however, denied any aggressive action, and said British soldiers fired shots when their convoy was ambushed on the street.

British forces have been deployed in southern Iraq since joining the US-led invasion in 2003.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who holds of the European Union presidency, yesterday reiterated the EU's support for Britain, in her speech in Jerusalem.

"I repeat here that Britain has the full solidarity of the European Union in this matter. We demand the prompt release of the 15 soldiers," she was quoted as saying.

The calls follow a UN Security Council statement last week expressing "grave concern" and calling "for an early resolution of this problem, including the release of the 15 British personnel".

Iran has urged the EU to stay out of the issue and has accused Britain of deepening the crisis by raising it at the United Nations, which since December has passed two resolutions imposing sanctions against Teheran for its nuclear program.

Agencies

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