Iran says Britain 'incorrect'

2004-07-01 14:44

Tehran - Iran defended last week's arrest of an eight-man British Royal Navy unit on Thursday, asserting that London's contention that they were forced into the Islamic republic's waters was "incorrect".

"We are surprised by the British defence minister's incorrect remarks," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in a statement.

"Upon taking custody of the British sailors, the British charge d'affaires in Tehran signed a letter confirming that they had entered Iranian territorial waters illegally and unintentionally," he added.

"The British apology is evident in this letter, and in addition (Foreign Secretary) Jack Straw talked to the Iranian foreign minister. He too said the sailors had unintentionally entered Iranian territorial waters" Asefi said.

Britain's defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, said on Wednesday that the eight servicemen were "forcibly escorted" across the national boundary from Iraq.

The six marines and two sailors were detained for three days in Iran last week, during which they were paraded blindfolded on television and forced to publicly apologise for what they called a "mistake".

Iran insisted that the boats were intercepted only after they entered Iranian waters on the Shatt al-Arab waterway that divides southern Iraq from Iran.

- AFP