Iraqi coast guards patrol the waters off
the Iranian Bou Chahr port in southern Iraq. Iran said it seized a group
of British sailors on Friday after they illegally entered its waters,
threatening a full-blown crisis in already tense relations between the
West and Tehran. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
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TEHRAN,
March 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian foreign ministry confirmed on Friday that its
country had seized some British marines earlier in the day when they entered its
territorial waters illegally, the state television reported.
"This is not the first time for British military
personnel to enter the Iranian waters illegally since they occupied Iraq,"
Ibrahim Rahimpour, director general for Western European affairs of the foreign
ministry was quoted as saying.
"The Iranian border authorities have detained 15
British soldiers and marines for further investigation of blatant aggression
into Iran's water," he added.
Meanwhile, the official disclosed that Tehran had
summoned the top British envoy and demanded the London administration to explain
it as soon as possible.
"We have summoned British charged' affaires Kate
Smith to the foreign ministry to receive the firm protest for the illegal entry
of British sailors into Iranian territorial waters," said Rahimpour, adding the
British government should ensure "not to do this again" in the future.
The British Ministry of Defense (MOD) said earlier
Friday that 15 British naval personnel were seized by Iranian forces.
The incident took place at approximately 10:30 Iraqi
time (0730GMT) Friday when the British soldiers were engaged in routine boarding
operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters in support of UN
Security Council Resolution 1723 and the government of Iraq, the MOD said in a
statement.
"The UK boarding party had completed a successful
inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and
escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters." Said the MOD.
"We are urgently pursuing this matter with the
Iranian authorities at the highest level," said the MOD, adding that "on the
instructions of the Foreign Secretary, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned
to the Foreign Office."
"The British Government is demanding the immediate
and safe return of our people and equipment," the MOD said.
In June 2004, the Iranian forces detained eight
British sailors for the same reason at the same area. The military personnels
were paraded blindfold on television and forced to apologize for their
"mistake." The Iranian authority released them after three days in custody.
LONDON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign
Secretary Margaret Beckett said on Friday that Britain demanded "immediate and
safe return" of 15 British navy personnel detained by Iranian forces.
"We have sought a full explanation of what happened
and we are leaving them in no doubt that we want the immediate and safe return
of our personnel and their equipment," she said after summoning the Iranian
ambassador to London Rasoul Movahedian on Friday afternoon.
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