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UK sees promise in Iran contacts UK sees promise in Iran contacts
(about 2 hours later)
Tony Blair believes the UK and Iran both want to use direct talks to achieve an early resolution to the navy crew crisis, Downing Street has said.Tony Blair believes the UK and Iran both want to use direct talks to achieve an early resolution to the navy crew crisis, Downing Street has said.
Its comments came after further contact with Tehran, including directly with security chief Ali Larijani. A statement was issued after further UK contact with Tehran, including directly with security chief Ali Larijani.
"The prime minister remains committed to resolving this by diplomatic means," it said in a statement. "The UK has proposed direct bilateral discussions and awaits a... response on when these can begin," it said.
"The UK has proposed direct bilateral discussions and awaits an Iranian response on when these can begin." Earlier Mr Blair had said talks about the release of the crew, held since 23 March, were entering a critical phase.
The statement came after a day in which Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett had urged caution over hopes that the 15 sailors held by Iran may soon be freed. "The prime minister remains committed to resolving this by diplomatic means," Downing Street's statement, issued late on Tuesday, added.
She said people had read a lot into remarks by the prime minister in which he said the next two days would be a "critical" phase in talks. 'Tougher decisions'
Meanwhile, new photographs have been released showing the Royal Navy crew in casual clothes. It came hours after Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett had urged caution over hopes that the 15 sailors and marines held by Iran may soon be freed.
Iran accuses them of straying into its waters on 23 March. The British insist they were in Iraqi territory. She said people had read a lot into the prime minister's remarks about a "critical" phase in talks.
Mrs Beckett said "we should be cautious in thinking that we're likely to see a swift solution in this issue... diplomatic efforts continue".
'Discussions preferred'
She added that "some people have read a lot into the prime minister's remarks".
She stressed the prime minister was "not intending to imply anything about military action" and pointed out the UK shares Iran's "preference for bi-lateral discussions".
Profile: UK captivesProfile: UK captives
Earlier, Mr Blair said that, from the start of talks with Iran, Britain had two tracks - firstly to make Iran understand that "the pressure is there", and secondly that the "door is open" to diplomacy. BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall said No 10's statement did appear to be an encouraging sign.
Later, he added that if "peaceful, calm negotiation" to get the crew back was not possible the UK would have to take "increasingly tougher decisions". And the fact it was released late on Tuesday suggested officials were "excited" about progress, she said.
He spoke after Ali Larijani, of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, hinted that a new phase in the talks with Britain had been started. In other developments on Tuesday, new photographs were released showing the Royal Navy crew in casual clothes.
'Talks beginning' In the latest images the crew, from Plymouth-based HMS Cornwall, are shown wearing tracksuits, smiling and playing chess.
Mr Larijani, who is also Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, told Iranian state radio: "The British government has started some diplomatic talks with the Iranian Foreign Ministry. They are only at the beginning. Leading Seaman Faye Turney is not wearing a headscarf as she has in previous TV footage.
"If they continue this path they can change the situation logically... in such a way that the issue is resolved." Dual aims
They have been held captive since being seized by Iranian Revolutionary Guards in the northern Gulf last month.
Iran says they strayed into its territorial waters, but the UK maintains they were in Iraqi waters after returning from searching a merchant vessel.
UK VERSION OF EVENTS 1 Crew boards merchant ship 1.7NM inside Iraqi waters2 HMS Cornwall was south-east of this, and inside Iraqi waters3 Iran tells UK that merchant ship was at a different point, still within Iraqi waters4 After UK points this out, Iran provides alternative position, now within Iranian waters Both versions in more detail Dividing lines of Shatt al-ArabUK VERSION OF EVENTS 1 Crew boards merchant ship 1.7NM inside Iraqi waters2 HMS Cornwall was south-east of this, and inside Iraqi waters3 Iran tells UK that merchant ship was at a different point, still within Iraqi waters4 After UK points this out, Iran provides alternative position, now within Iranian waters Both versions in more detail Dividing lines of Shatt al-Arab
But, later on Tuesday Iranian Vice President Parviz Davoudi called on Britain to accept that its personnel had crossed into Iran's waters. In comments before No 10's statement, Mr Blair said the UK had two aims - firstly to make Iran understand that "the pressure is there" and secondly to ensure the "door is open" to diplomacy.
"Certainly, if Britain accepts that they have illegally trespassed into Iran and guarantee that they won't repeat it, the issue will obviously become negotiable and can be resolved through a rational process," he said. He added if "peaceful, calm negotiation" was not possible, the UK would have to take "increasingly tougher decisions".
The Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman was on Tuesday night again in talks with the Iranian ambassador in London - their eighth meeting since the British crew were seized on March 23. The prime minister spoke after Mr Larijani hinted to Iranian state radio that a new phase in the talks with the UK had begun.
Also on Tuesday Iran released new photographs of some of the crew, including Leading Seaman Faye Turney, showing them wearing casual clothes for the first time.
In one photo some of the Royal Navy personnel are shown sitting on the floor wearing tracksuits and smiling.
'Very distressing'
LS Turney is not wearing a headscarf as she has in previous TV footage released by the Iranians.
Another picture shows two members of the crew playing chess.
Meanwhile, the names of some more of the service personnel being held have been confirmed.
The BBC can confirm that Leading Seaman Christopher Coe, from the Dalton area of Huddersfield, is among the captives.
And the family of Operator Maintainer Simon Massey, who is also being held, said they were going through a "very distressing time" at the moment.
IRANIAN VERSION OF EVENTS 1 Royal Navy crew stray 0.5km inside Iranian waters 2 Iran gives set of co-ordinates to back up their claims 3 According to seized GPS equipment, the Royal Navy crew had previously entered Iranian waters at several other points 4 Iran informs Britain of the position where the crew were seized, inside Iranian waters Profile: Ali Larijani Iran's centres of powerIRANIAN VERSION OF EVENTS 1 Royal Navy crew stray 0.5km inside Iranian waters 2 Iran gives set of co-ordinates to back up their claims 3 According to seized GPS equipment, the Royal Navy crew had previously entered Iranian waters at several other points 4 Iran informs Britain of the position where the crew were seized, inside Iranian waters Profile: Ali Larijani Iran's centres of power
Meanwhile, the family of Royal Marine Joe Tindall have said they are "immensely proud" of him. "If they continue this path they can change the situation logically... in such a way that the issue is resolved," he said.
US President George Bush described the Iranian seizure of the crew as "indefensible". But Iranian Vice President Parviz Davoudi insisted the UK still had to admit its personnel had crossed into Iran's waters.
"I support the Blair government's attempts to solve this issue peacefully," he said. "Certainly, if Britain accepts that they have illegally trespassed into Iran and guarantee that they won't repeat it, the issue will obviously become negotiable and can be resolved through a rational process," he said.
There have been suggestions that the release of five Iranian officials held by the US since January could positively affect the navy personnel's case. Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman has had talks with the Iranian ambassador in London eight times since the crew's capture.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in Baghdad, said senior Iraqi officials were working separately to secure the release of the British crew and the five Iranians held by the US. Bush backing
The UK insists the 15 Britons were in Iraqi waters after returning from searching a merchant vessel. It is understood that one area under discussion between the two countries is how future disputes over the contested Shatt al-Arab waterway may be avoided.
It is understood that one area that has been under discussion between the UK and Iran is how future disputes over the contested waters may be avoided. US President George Bush has described the crew's capture as "indefensible" and said he backed the UK's efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully.
Previously unseen images of some of the crew, based on HMS Cornwall, were aired on Monday but their voices could not be heard. There have been suggestions that the crew's case could be improved by the release of five Iranian officials held by the US since January.
One of those seen for the first time was 20-year-old Arthur Batchelor, whose sister told the BBC she was relieved to see him looking "tired but fine". The BBC's Jim Muir, in Baghdad, said senior Iraq officials were negotiating with the US embassy and the US military over the issue.
The Foreign Office is standing by its view that the crew, serving on HMS Cornwall, which is based in Plymouth, were detained against their will in Iraqi territory.