Sailors' comments 'cover-up'
06/04/2007 19:39  - (SA)  

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Tehran - Iran said on Friday a news conference by freed British sailors and marines was "staged" to cover up their illegal entry into the Islamic state's territory.

"Such staged moves cannot cover up the mistake made by British military personnel who illegally entered Iran's territory," a foreign ministry statement said.

"Such theatrical propaganda can not justify the soldiers' mistake."

The 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran in the Gulf said on Friday they were blindfolded, bound, kept in isolation and warned they faced up to seven years in jail.

The 15 Britons were released on Wednesday and arrived back in England on Thursday.

Iran also called on the British government to respect other countries' territory.

"We are sorry that Britain has no knowledge about Islamic culture and Iranian civilisation to understand the reason Iran pardoned the British soldiers," the statement said.

The sailors' description of their captivity was in sharp contrast to the images of them smiling on Iranian television.

Those images were an Iranian "media stunt", they said on Friday.

 

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