TEHRAN, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced in a press conference on Wednesday that Iran had decided to free the 15 British naval personnel.

    "While we insist on our rights, the 15 sailors have been pardoned and we offer their freedom to the British people," Ahmadinejad told a news conference in Tehran, broadcast live on Iranian television.

    "After the press conference, they will be sent to the airport to take a flight to their own country," he added.

    At the same time, he said that no deal had been made with Britain on the issue and the release of the British naval personnel is "a gift" from the Iranian people.

    Nevertheless, the British government had promised in a letter saying that it would not repeat the incident again, Ahmadinejad said.

    Iran's state television reported that the 15 British sailors and marines were watching the live broadcast and applauded when they heard the announcement of their release.

    After Ahmadinejad's press conference, an Iranian official said a "ceremony" for the release of the 15 British sailors had started.

    Earlier at the same press conference, Ahmadinejad awarded a medal to the commander who led the mission to arrest "trespassers."

    "Here I want to thank with a medal of third-rank bravery to the commander of the forces who defended Iran's borders and arrested the trespassers," Ahmadinejad told the reporters.

    The Iranian President presented the medal to Abulghasem Amanghah, Islamic Revolutionary Guards naval commander.

    The Iranian forces seized 15 British naval personnel on March23 for "incursion" into its territorial waters.