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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Sailors' seizure 'very serious' | Sailors' seizure 'very serious' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The seizure by Iran of 15 Royal Navy personnel is "very serious", Northern Ireland minister Peter Hain has said. | The seizure by Iran of 15 Royal Navy personnel is "very serious", Northern Ireland minister Peter Hain has said. |
| Mr Hain said their holding was of "tremendous concern" and that every negotiating option was being pursued. | Mr Hain said their holding was of "tremendous concern" and that every negotiating option was being pursued. |
| The eight sailors and seven marines, from HMS Cornwall, were held on Friday after boarding a boat in the Gulf. | The eight sailors and seven marines, from HMS Cornwall, were held on Friday after boarding a boat in the Gulf. |
| Tehran has accused the group of "blatant trespassing" into Iranian waters, but the Foreign Office is adamant they were in Iraqi waters. | Tehran has accused the group of "blatant trespassing" into Iranian waters, but the Foreign Office is adamant they were in Iraqi waters. |
| British diplomats hope they will have another meeting with the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday, to ask for their release or, failing that, at the very least consular access. | British diplomats hope they will have another meeting with the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday, to ask for their release or, failing that, at the very least consular access. |
| That part of the water between Iran and Iraq where the incident happened has been disputed for decades Professor Sadaq Ziba-Kalam, Tehran University | That part of the water between Iran and Iraq where the incident happened has been disputed for decades Professor Sadaq Ziba-Kalam, Tehran University |
| Foreign Office junior minister Lord Triesman met the Iranian ambassador Rasoul Movahedian on Saturday to demand their immediate release, and other diplomatic meetings have also been held. | Foreign Office junior minister Lord Triesman met the Iranian ambassador Rasoul Movahedian on Saturday to demand their immediate release, and other diplomatic meetings have also been held. |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Hain said: "It is a very serious situation, and of tremendous concern, and that's why we're pursuing every negotiating option to try and bring our soldiers back and make sure that they're safe. | Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Hain said: "It is a very serious situation, and of tremendous concern, and that's why we're pursuing every negotiating option to try and bring our soldiers back and make sure that they're safe. |
| "It's essential that this occurs and it's essential not just for the well-being of our soldiers but also for stability in the region." | "It's essential that this occurs and it's essential not just for the well-being of our soldiers but also for stability in the region." |
| HMS Cornwall's area of operations | HMS Cornwall's area of operations |
| Students belonging to the paramilitary Basij group, which is close to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have called for the Britons to be put on trial. | Students belonging to the paramilitary Basij group, which is close to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have called for the Britons to be put on trial. |
| However, Professor Sadaq Ziba-Kalam, of Tehran University, told BBC News 24 he did not think they would be charged with spying. | However, Professor Sadaq Ziba-Kalam, of Tehran University, told BBC News 24 he did not think they would be charged with spying. |
| "That part of the water between Iran and Iraq where the incident happened has been disputed for decades," he said. | "That part of the water between Iran and Iraq where the incident happened has been disputed for decades," he said. |
| All the signs are Iran hasn't yet decided what it's going to do with the British BBC News correspondent Frances Harrison | All the signs are Iran hasn't yet decided what it's going to do with the British BBC News correspondent Frances Harrison |
| "So it is very difficult to draw the line and say this is the Iranian side of the border and this is the Iraqi side of the border." | "So it is very difficult to draw the line and say this is the Iranian side of the border and this is the Iraqi side of the border." |
| BBC News correspondent in Tehran, Frances Harrison, said: "All the signs are Iran hasn't yet decided what it's going to do with the British. | BBC News correspondent in Tehran, Frances Harrison, said: "All the signs are Iran hasn't yet decided what it's going to do with the British. |
| "But the crisis runs the risk of intensifying if more groups inside Iran insist this case should be linked to Iranians in detention in Iraq or with the nuclear issue." | "But the crisis runs the risk of intensifying if more groups inside Iran insist this case should be linked to Iranians in detention in Iraq or with the nuclear issue." |
| The Cornwall is the flagship of the coalition-Iraqi force which patrols Iraqi territorial waters in the northern Gulf to combat smuggling. | The Cornwall is the flagship of the coalition-Iraqi force which patrols Iraqi territorial waters in the northern Gulf to combat smuggling. |
| The Britons, who include one woman, had inspected an Iraqi boat before returning to their two small boats where they were seized. | The Britons, who include one woman, had inspected an Iraqi boat before returning to their two small boats where they were seized. |
| They were taken at gunpoint by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces. | They were taken at gunpoint by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces. |
| They were then moved along the Shatt al-Arab waterway to Iranian bases, Royal Navy officials said. | They were then moved along the Shatt al-Arab waterway to Iranian bases, Royal Navy officials said. |
| Further sanctions | |
| Iranian armed forces spokesman Gen Ali Reza Afshar told Iranian media on Saturday that the 15 personnel were being interrogated, but were in good health. | Iranian armed forces spokesman Gen Ali Reza Afshar told Iranian media on Saturday that the 15 personnel were being interrogated, but were in good health. |
| Germany - which holds the EU presidency - called for the immediate release of the Britons. | Germany - which holds the EU presidency - called for the immediate release of the Britons. |
| Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has voted unanimously in favour of further sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme. | Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has voted unanimously in favour of further sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme. |
| The seizure of the boarding party carries echoes of an incident in June 2004 when a group of eight marines and sailors were held for three days after being seized by the Iranians in the Shatt al-Arab waterway. | The seizure of the boarding party carries echoes of an incident in June 2004 when a group of eight marines and sailors were held for three days after being seized by the Iranians in the Shatt al-Arab waterway. |
| On that occasion the hostages were paraded blindfolded on television, and later freed. | On that occasion the hostages were paraded blindfolded on television, and later freed. |
| Return to top | Return to top |