LONDON, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Most Britons oppose resorting to immediate military means to free 15 navy personnel detained in Iran, and are confident that the crisis could be resolved peacefully by the government, a poll released on Saturday showed.

    A survey carried out by the Sunday Telegraph newspaper on 762 adults indicates that only 7 percent of respondents approved the idea of taking immediate action to solve the issue at the present stage. Asked whether military force should be used as the last choice, 48 percent were opposed and 44 percent in favor.

    On March 23, eight British sailors and seven marines were detained by Iranian naval forces while patrolling near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, a disputed waterway between Iraq and Iran.

    Forty percent of respondents support the government's current stance of quiet diplomacy on the issue, while 17 percent thought Britain should impose sanctions on Iran, and 26 percent held the view that Britain should apologize in a bid to bring the sailors back.

    About 66 percent of the polled said they believe the British government could solve the crisis peacefully, while 28 percent said they did not.