Iran capture 15 UK soldiers

[2hd.]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6484279.stm

Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says.

The men were seized at 1030 local time when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was smuggling cars.

The Royal Navy said the men who were on a routine patrol in Iraqi waters, were understood to be unharmed.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has demanded the immediate and safe return of the HMS Cornwall servicemen.

She added that she had called for a "full explanation" from Iran and had left them in no doubt that she wanted the group and their equipment back immediately.

The frigate's commander, Commodore Nick Lambert, said he was hoping there had been a "simple mistake" over territorial waters.

"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they [British personnel] were in Iraqi territorial waters. Equally, the Iranians may claim they were in Iranian territorial waters.

"We may well find that this is a simple misunderstanding at the tactical level."

Helicopters had reported seeing two British boats being moved along the Shatt al-Arab waterway to Iranian bases and there had been no evidence of fighting, he added.

HMS Cornwall's area of operations

He said that despite scant communication, the 15 people were understood to be safe and had reacted in an "extremely professional way, in line with the rules of engagement".


HMS CORNWALL FACTS
Multi-national force flagship in the northern Gulf
Type 22 frigate
Crew: 250 (Max 301)
Length: 148.1m / 485.9ft
Speed: 30 knots
Source: Royal Navy

Profile of HMS Cornwall
Ex-detainee 'concerned'

Mrs Beckett said: "We understand that they were in two boats that were operating in Iraqi waters in accordance with the Security Council Resolution 1723 in support of the government of Iraq to stop smuggling."

On Friday afternoon, the Iranian ambassador in London, Rasoul Movahedian, met permanent secretary, Sir Peter Ricketts, at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The foreign secretary said the meeting had been "brisk but polite" and said the British ambassador in Iran had also been speaking to officials in Tehran.

There has been no immediate response so far from Iran, where many ministries and official buildings were closed for a public holiday.

Royal Marines on waterways in the Basra
Servicemen would have been in boats similar to those pictured

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague and Sir Menzies Campbell, leader of the Liberal Democrats, have both backed the call for the group's immediate and safe return.

Commodore Kevin Aandahl, of the US Navy Fifth Fleet based in the same region, backed the Royal Navy's claims that their boats had been in Iraqi waters.

He added that the Royal Navy personnel should be given credit for a "very cool" response and not escalating the situation.

The incident comes at a time of renewed tensions with Iran over its nuclear programme and follows claims that most of the violence against UK forces in Basra is being engineered by Iranian elements.

British Army Colonel Justin Maciejewski, who is based in Iraq, said Iran was providing "sophisticated weaponry" to insurgents and "Iranian agents" were paying local men to attack British troops.


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Timeline: UK-Iran relations

Iranian officials have in the past denied such claims.

In 2004, Iran detained eight British servicemen for three days after they allegedly strayed over the maritime border.

The UK claimed the men were "forcibly escorted" into Iranian territorial waters.

The men were paraded blindfolded and made to apologise on Iranian TV before their release was agreed.

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said the difference this time is that the present Iranian government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was much more hardline.

"The political climate is worse with Britain among those confronting Iran over its controversial nuclear programme," he added.

[lSmits]

That sucks, hope we can get them freed.

[PaintYourTarget]

Fortunately, they didn't fire back. Because our troops kept their cool and were led away it prevented a naval skirmish and the possibility of a conflict in Iran.

Iran have captured Marines operating in Iranian waters before and have released them so they will most likely do the same.

It is probably just a backlash after the American's captured several Iranian officials. Seeing as it's an Iranian national holiday and the Government buildings will be closed, we'll have to wait for further information which will gain a large amount of publicity over it... ultimately showing Iran is powerful as they can take such actions.

[DiscoPat]

stuff like this happen, they'll free em..

[PaintYourTarget]

They know if they execute them, they'll be a major UK led retaliation which is probably what George Bush wants; a War on Iran which isn't his fault.
If they imprison them, then the SAS will be sent in and the Iranians full well know this. A bunch of MPs at a Military Prison won't stand a chance against a SAS recovery team.

Some think that the best course of action was to blow the Iranian navy vessel out of the water to show tehm who're they're messing with.

[Ashhizzle]

Great. Send Damn Blair in. let them kill him tbh

[Jordy]

It's kind of worried me this has. However if it isn't a accident, we can get are troops over their in minutes, all it takes is a few fighter jets from Basra to fly over across the border to Iran. lol it'd be intresting to see if the American's would 'help us' since we're always helping them. i think they'd just come in and "lose they're cool" easily

[Browney]

It's kind of worried me this has. However if it isn't a accident, we can get are troops over their in minutes, all it takes is a few fighter jets from Basra to fly over across the border to Iran. lol it'd be intresting to see if the American's would 'help us' since we're always helping them. i think they'd just come in and "lose they're cool" easily

I could imagine America sitting back and saying "you can handle this Blair."

[DiscoPat]

You lot who think Iran is an easy country to defeat is wrong, I just wanted to remind you that they too have a good military force + nuclear power.

[@xP]

That sucks, hope we can get them freed.

Same...

Nice find also i was watching the news this morning.