Region | Iran
Admit mistake to resolve row
The Iranian foreign minister said the UK must admit its sailors were in Iranian waters when captured last week, adding that British officials would be allowed to visit them.
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 March 29, 2007
- Image Credit: Reuters
- The 14 male and one female sailors came from the HMS Cornwall.
Riyadh: The Iranian foreign minister has told Britain that it must admit that 15 sailors captured last week were in Iranian waters before the stand-off can be resolved.
He also said that UK officials would be allowed to visit them and that Faye Turney, the only woman in the group and who has been shown on Iranian television apologizing for ‘trespassing' could be released.
Manouchehr Mottaki made his statement while attending the Arab Summit in Riyadh.
He said: "This can be solved. But they have to show that it was a mistake. That will help us to end this issue. Admitting the mistake will facilitate a solution to the problem."
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In reply, Britain has already offered satellite data which they say proves that the ship was in Iraqi waters when it was intercepted and has frozen most dealings with Iran.
Britain's military said the readout proved the Royal Navy personnel were seized 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters, a claim dismissed by Mottaki.
The video of the sailors and marines was shown on the Al Alam station in Iran, displaying a handwritten letter from Turney, 26, to her family.
It read: "I have written a letter to the Iranian people to apologize for us entering their waters.''
In the video Turney also says: "Obviously we trespassed into their waters. They were very friendly and very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people. They explained to us why we've been arrested. There was no harm, no aggression."
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