All 15 UK sailors confess on TV
2007-04-02 12:04
Tehran - All 15 British navy personnel
held by Iran have admitted entering Iranian waters illegally, a
Tehran news agency said on Monday, but Iran indicated a softer
line by saying it would not air film of their "confessions".
Iran's ISNA agency said the decision not to show the film,
after similar broadcasts enraged London during the 10-day-old
dispute, was based on what the report said was a shift in the
"clamorous policies" of the British government.
Britain has dismissed earlier television "confessions" and
said they were unacceptable, adding the 15 were in Iraqi waters.
The dispute has raised tensions between the West and the
Islamic Republic, already high over Tehran's disputed nuclear
programme. It pushed oil prices last week to six-month highs.
The 15 sailors and marines were seized on March 23 in what
Iran said was its territorial waters. It has aired footage of
four captives - three men and one woman - saying they were
seized in Iranian waters despite London's denials.
ISNA said Iran had footage of all the British captives
"explaining details about their arrest in Iranian waters".
"But because of some changes seen in the last two days in
the clamorous British government policies it (the Iranian
broadcaster) will not show the details of the interviews."
Direct communication
ISNA did not detail the shift in policy it was referring to, but Britain said on Sunday it was in direct communication with
Iran. British foreign secretary Margaret Beckett said on
Saturday "everyone regrets that this position has arisen".
A British foreign office spokesperson, reacting to the latest
ISNA report, said: "I don't think the position has changed as
far as we are concerned - they were seized within Iraqi
territorial waters, and we are still working to get consular
access and for the Iranians to release the group."
Two of the Britons were shown on Iranian state television on
Sunday night pointing to a map to show where they were seized
and saying they were picked up in Iranian territory.
"My name is Lieutenant Felix Carmen ... Yes, I'd like to say
to the Iranian people, I can understand why you were so angry
about our intrusion into your waters ... " one of the Britons
said in the television broadcast.
About 200 demonstrators on Sunday chanted: "British,
British, death to you, death to you" outside Britain's embassy
and hurled firecrackers into the compound, making loud bangs and
sending up clouds of smoke.
No one was hurt by the small explosive devices.
- Reuters