Situation in Iran Stabilizes: Soldiers to be Released

Ahmadinejad says 15 UK sailors to be pardoned, freed immediately

TEHRAN (AFX) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that the 15 British sailors captured 13 days ago by Iran accused of entering its waters have been pardoned and will be released immediately and taken straight to the airport.

'While insisting on our rights, these 15 sailors have been pardoned and we offer their freedom to the British people,' Ahmadinejad told a news conference.

'After the news conference they can go to the airport and go back home,' Ahmadinejad said. 'They will be going back home today.'

'I ask (UK Prime Minister Tony) Mr Blair not to judge the military personnel for the truths that they said,' said Ahmadinejad, referring to a string of televised 'confessions' by the sailors.

'I ask Mr Blair, instead of reinforcing international tensions and modernising Britain's nuclear weapons and occupying other countries, to return to justice and morality.'

He also criticised Blair for the fact that the sole female detainee, Faye Turney, was even serving in the armed forces.

'Among the British who were arrested, there was a women who was the mother of a child. Why do they give such missions to a woman who is the mother of a child to patrol the sea?'


Ahmadinejad attacks British handling of naval crisis, says used 'media hype'

TEHRAN (AFX) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has attacked Britain for sending the crisis over the arrested sailors to the UN Security Council and using 'media hype'.

'The Blair government chose the path of media hype and sent the issue to the UN Security Council,' Ahmadinejad told a news conference.

'The British people can ask its government what the British soldiers are doing in Iraq or in Iranian waters,' he said.