Iran Foreign Minister: Britain must admit to trespassing before soldiers are released
{{date|March 29, 2007}}
{{2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel}}
[[Image:HMS_Cornwall_F99_July_2006.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[w:HMS Cornwall (F99)|HMS Cornwall]]]]
[[Iran]]ian [[w:Minister of Foreign Affairs (Iran)|Foreign Minister]] [[Manouchehr Mottaki]] has said that [[UK|Britain]] must admit to illegally entering Iranian waters before the 15 sailors and marines detained by Iran on March 23 are to be released.

"This [situation] can be solved. But they have to show that it was a mistake, that will help us to end this issue. Admitting the mistake will facilitate a solution to the problem," Mottaki said during a summit in [[w:Saudi Arabia|Saudi Arabia]].

Britain has not yet responded to the comment. 

According to a UK government report, the Iranian government initially gave the position of the incident as a location outside Iranian territorial waters. However, on March 24, General Alireza Afshar, Iran's top military general, stated that the sailors were engaged "in illegal and suspicious activities" inside Iranian waterways at the time of their detention and that the sailors "have admitted to violating the territorial waters of the Islamic republic". 

After the UK government queried the statement by General Alireza Afshar, the Iranian government gave a revised position for the incident, now placing it ''inside'' Iranian territorial waters.
{{QuoteLeft|By the time HMS Cornwall knew that our forces had been detained unlawfully by the Iranians, they were in Iranian waters, and again military engagement would have put a lot of lives at risk. I think that they took the right decision...|4=[[Tony Blair]], [[United Kingdom|UK]] Prime Minister}}
Despite the increased tension, Mottaki stated that officials from Britain will be able to see the soldiers.

"We have accepted that [the request by Britain], there is no problem. Measures are underway [to allow officials to meet] them. They can meet them," said Mottaki.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the [[w:United Nations|United Nations]] [[Ban Ki-moon]] called for the release of the soldiers saying "I'd like to see them released." 

Ban has a scheduled meeting on Friday morning with Mottaki to discuss the current detainment of the British soldiers and plans to ask for their release.

The sailors and marines, from the frigate [[w:HMS Cornwall (F99)|HMS ''Cornwall'']], had been inspecting, in accordance with [[w:United Nations Security Council Resolution 1723|UN Security Council Resolution 1723]], a ship that was believed to be smuggling cars into Iraq, though it was subsequently cleared after inspection, when Iranian gunboats surrounded the troops.

In parliament yesterday, UK Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] was asked about the rules of engagement for UK forces operating under a UN mandate in Iraqi waters. Blair suggested that "the rules of engagement do allow [UK] forces to take whatever measures are necessary in their own self-defence...I think that [the soldiers] took the right decision and did what was entirely sensible," said Blair in reference to the UK forces not engaging in military combat when first confronted by the Iranians.

Blair also commented on the response by the crew of HMS ''Cornwall''. "By the time HMS ''Cornwall'' knew that our forces had been detained unlawfully by the Iranians, they were in Iranian waters, and again military engagement would have put a lot of lives at risk. I think that they took the right decision," said Blair.

==Related News==
*{{wikinews|title=UK freezes business arrangements with Iran; detained sailors and marines shown on TV|date=March 28, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=UK prepared to go 'into different phase' if sailors and marines not released by Iran within days|date=March 27, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=British sailors detained by Iran "to be tried for espionage"|date=March 25, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=15 Royal Navy sailors captured at gunpoint by Iranian guards|date=March 23, 2007}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=acZuK9cnUKYw&refer=home
|title=Ban Says He Will Ask Iran to Release 15 U.K. Sailors (Update2)  
|author=Bill Varner
|pub=Bloomberg
|date=March 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Iran-demands-UK-admit-incursion/2007/03/29/1174761617649.html
|title=Iran demands UK admit incursion
|author=
|pub=The Age
|date=March 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1173879202588&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
|title=Iran: Britain must admit entering waters
|author=
|pub=Jerusalem Post
|date=March 29, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=c48e8957-f5cf-40e1-9510-acd2db2408f8&k=61607
|title=Iran demands Britain admit entering its waters to resolve standoff
|author=Salah Nasrawi
|pub=Canada.com
|date=March 28, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmdebate/02.htm#hddr_1
|title=The Prime Minister was asked—
|author=
|pub=Hansard
|date=March 28, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6501555.stm
|title=UK reveals Iran dispute evidence
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=March 28, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6502805.stm
|title=The capture of the UK crew
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=March 28, 2007}}

{{publish}}
{{Archive-unreviewed}}

[[Category:World]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Iran]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Manouchehr Mottaki]]
HMS Cornwall
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said that Britain must admit to illegally entering Iranian waters before the 15 sailors and marines detained by Iran on March 23 are to be released.

"This situation can be solved. But they have to show that it was a mistake, that will help us to end this issue. Admitting the mistake will facilitate a solution to the problem," Mottaki said during a summit in Saudi Arabia.

Britain has not yet responded to the comment. 

According to a UK government report, the Iranian government initially gave the position of the incident as a location outside Iranian territorial waters. However, on March 24, General Alireza Afshar, Iran's top military general, stated that the sailors were engaged "in illegal and suspicious activities" inside Iranian waterways at the time of their detention and that the sailors "have admitted to violating the territorial waters of the Islamic republic". 

After the UK government queried the statement by General Alireza Afshar, the Iranian government gave a revised position for the incident, now placing it inside Iranian territorial waters.

Despite the increased tension, Mottaki stated that officials from Britain will be able to see the soldiers.

"We have accepted that the request by Britain, there is no problem. Measures are underway to allow officials to meet them. They can meet them," said Mottaki.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon called for the release of the soldiers saying "I'd like to see them released." 

Ban has a scheduled meeting on Friday morning with Mottaki to discuss the current detainment of the British soldiers and plans to ask for their release.

The sailors and marines, from the frigate HMS Cornwall, had been inspecting, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1723, a ship that was believed to be smuggling cars into Iraq, though it was subsequently cleared after inspection, when Iranian gunboats surrounded the troops.

In parliament yesterday, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was asked about the rules of engagement for UK forces operating under a UN mandate in Iraqi waters. Blair suggested that "the rules of engagement do allow UK forces to take whatever measures are necessary in their own self-defence...I think that the soldiers took the right decision and did what was entirely sensible," said Blair in reference to the UK forces not engaging in military combat when first confronted by the Iranians.

Blair also commented on the response by the crew of HMS Cornwall. "By the time HMS Cornwall knew that our forces had been detained unlawfully by the Iranians, they were in Iranian waters, and again military engagement would have put a lot of lives at risk. I think that they took the right decision," said Blair.
World Politics and conflicts Middle East Iran Europe United Kingdom Manouchehr Mottaki