Efforts to secure the seized sailors may enter a different phase: Blair

LONDON – British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday warned Iran that efforts to secure the release of 15 sailors would enter a ‘different phase’ if diplomatic efforts failed.

Britain has sought to keep up pressure on Iran which has rejected growing international calls for their release. “What we are trying to do at the moment is to pursue this through the diplomatic channels and make the Iranian government understand these people have to be released,” Blair told GMTV television.”I hope we manage to get them to realise they have to release them.If not, then this will move into a different phase,” he said.Britain, supported by Iraq, insists that the naval personnel were conducting “routine” anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi waters Friday when they were seized at gunpoint in the Shatt al-Arab waterway in the north of the Gulf.Iran says they had entered its territorial waters illegally and the BBC, citing sources, said they were now being held in Tehran, where they were being interrogated by the Revolutionary Guards.”At the moment, what we are trying to do is to make sure that that diplomatic initiative works,” Blair said, adding: “There is absolutely no justification whatever for holding them.”Our first concern is for their welfare and to get them released as quickly as possible,” Blair said, adding that that there were no new details on the sailors’ welfare.Pressed on what a ‘different phase’ might involve, Blair said: “Well, we will just have to see.”But what they should understand is that we cannot have a situation where our servicemen and women are seized when actually they are in Iraqi waters under a United Nations mandate, patrolling perfectly rightly and in accordance with that mandate, and then effectively captured and taken to Iran.”The most important thing is their welfare, I am trying to get this resolved in as diplomatic and sensible a way as possible.”Blair said he hoped the seizure was not linked to the capture by US forces of five Iranians in Iraq.Nampa-AFP”What we are trying to do at the moment is to pursue this through the diplomatic channels and make the Iranian government understand these people have to be released,” Blair told GMTV television.”I hope we manage to get them to realise they have to release them.If not, then this will move into a different phase,” he said.Britain, supported by Iraq, insists that the naval personnel were conducting “routine” anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi waters Friday when they were seized at gunpoint in the Shatt al-Arab waterway in the north of the Gulf.Iran says they had entered its territorial waters illegally and the BBC, citing sources, said they were now being held in Tehran, where they were being interrogated by the Revolutionary Guards.”At the moment, what we are trying to do is to make sure that that diplomatic initiative works,” Blair said, adding: “There is absolutely no justification whatever for holding them.”Our first concern is for their welfare and to get them released as quickly as possible,” Blair said, adding that that there were no new details on the sailors’ welfare.Pressed on what a ‘different phase’ might involve, Blair said: “Well, we will just have to see.”But what they should understand is that we cannot have a situation where our servicemen and women are seized when actually they are in Iraqi waters under a United Nations mandate, patrolling perfectly rightly and in accordance with that mandate, and then effectively captured and taken to Iran.”The most important thing is their welfare, I am trying to get this resolved in as diplomatic and sensible a way as possible.”Blair said he hoped the seizure was not linked to the capture by US forces of five Iranians in Iraq.Nampa-AFP