British sailors return home

Tehran: The 15 Royal Navy personnel released by Iran have landed back in the UK.

The 14 men and one woman from the HMS Cornwall landed at London's Heathrow Airport around Thursday lunchtime (British time).

The sailors and marines were then taken by helicopter to Royal Marines Barracks Chivenor in Devon

They will now be reunited with their loved ones and be de-briefed away from the glare of the media.

The Royal Navy personnel left Tehran on a British Airways flight at 8am local time

The sailors and marines were released by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after 13 days in custory as a "gift" to the UK.

The crewmen arrived at the airport in a fleet of official cars, while Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed relief that the 15 were returning home.

Before they left one of the captured men spoke on Iranian television again.

Lt Felix Carman said: "I'd like to say that no harm was meant to Iranian people or its territories whatsoever, and that I hope that this experience will help to build the relationship between our countries."

President Ahmadinejad also spoke at a press conference to say that Britain had pledged the incident would not happen again.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Blair had a message for the Iranian people.

He said: "We bear you no ill will. On the contrary, we respect Iran as an ancient civilisation, as a nation with a proud and dignified history."