Britain keeps pressure on Iran over sailors

LONDON – Britain kept up pressure on Iran yesterday to release 15 military personnel seized last week in the northern Gulf, a standoff that has stoked Middle East tensions and sent shockwaves through the oil market.

The capture of the British sailors, coupled with US war games this week near the Iranian coast, pushed oil prices to six-month highs on concerns that any escalation could hit crucial oil supplies from the Gulf. Britain said it was waiting for details on an undertaking by Tehran to allow diplomats to meet the sailors, who so far have had no contact with British officials.The United Nations hit Iran with sanctions at the weekend to try and stop its nuclear programme while Washington and London blame Iran for backing insurgents battling their forces in Iraq.”We continue to press strongly for their immediate release,” a spokesman at Britain’s foreign office said.Britain raised the diplomatic stakes on Wednesday by publishing what it says is proof the Royal Navy sailors and marines were captured within Iraqi waters, where they were carrying out routine operations under a UN mandate.Tehran insists the British forces had strayed into Iranian territorial waters and angered many in Britain by releasing video of the only woman crew member captured, wearing a black headscarf and smoking a cigarette.The United States said it was winding up its largest exercise in Gulf waters since 2003 yesterday.Iran played down the magnitude of the American war games on its doorstep that involved two aircraft carriers.Britain said parading the female sailor, Faye Turney, and other captured British personnel, was completely unacceptable and it fears the sailors may have been coerced into appearing.”Outrage” was the banner headline in the Britain’s Daily Mirror tabloid.”How dare they?” asked the Sun, Britain’s top selling daily newspaper: “Sick Mullahs humiliate our troops.”The United States has called Iran’s behaviour “reprehensible” and “odious”.Britain, which froze all business ties with Iran on Wednesday, is seeking approval from the UN Security Council for a statement that would ‘deplore’ the detention of the military personnel and call for their immediate release.Iran, the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter, has said Britain must accept its crew was arrested in Iranian waters.It said yesterday the woman would be freed as soon as possible.Nampa-ReutersBritain said it was waiting for details on an undertaking by Tehran to allow diplomats to meet the sailors, who so far have had no contact with British officials.The United Nations hit Iran with sanctions at the weekend to try and stop its nuclear programme while Washington and London blame Iran for backing insurgents battling their forces in Iraq.”We continue to press strongly for their immediate release,” a spokesman at Britain’s foreign office said.Britain raised the diplomatic stakes on Wednesday by publishing what it says is proof the Royal Navy sailors and marines were captured within Iraqi waters, where they were carrying out routine operations under a UN mandate.Tehran insists the British forces had strayed into Iranian territorial waters and angered many in Britain by releasing video of the only woman crew member captured, wearing a black headscarf and smoking a cigarette.The United States said it was winding up its largest exercise in Gulf waters since 2003 yesterday.Iran played down the magnitude of the American war games on its doorstep that involved two aircraft carriers.Britain said parading the female sailor, Faye Turney, and other captured British personnel, was completely unacceptable and it fears the sailors may have been coerced into appearing.”Outrage” was the banner headline in the Britain’s Daily Mirror tabloid.”How dare they?” asked the Sun, Britain’s top selling daily newspaper: “Sick Mullahs humiliate our troops.”The United States has called Iran’s behaviour “reprehensible” and “odious”.Britain, which froze all business ties with Iran on Wednesday, is seeking approval from the UN Security Council for a statement that would ‘deplore’ the detention of the military personnel and call for their immediate release.Iran, the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter, has said Britain must accept its crew was arrested in Iranian waters.It said yesterday the woman would be freed as soon as possible.Nampa-Reuters