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Choppy waters at Iran's borders | Choppy waters at Iran's borders |
(about 2 hours later) | |
By Jon Leyne BBC Tehran Correspondent | By Jon Leyne BBC Tehran Correspondent |
The crew were intending to participate in the Dubai-Muscat yacht race | The crew were intending to participate in the Dubai-Muscat yacht race |
Iran's coastal waters are patrolled rigorously by the Revolutionary Guards. | Iran's coastal waters are patrolled rigorously by the Revolutionary Guards. |
Anyone straying too close is almost certain to be arrested, as the five British yachtsmen released on Wednesday found when they were taken into Iranian custody a week ago. | Anyone straying too close is almost certain to be arrested, as the five British yachtsmen released on Wednesday found when they were taken into Iranian custody a week ago. |
Filming off the Iranian island of Qeshm two years ago, I was soon stopped and questioned, despite the fact that an Iranian government minder was already with me and I had all the relevant permissions. | Filming off the Iranian island of Qeshm two years ago, I was soon stopped and questioned, despite the fact that an Iranian government minder was already with me and I had all the relevant permissions. |
The Iranian security officials simply could not believe I was making a report on the environment. They were convinced a British journalist in this sensitive area must be up to no good. | The Iranian security officials simply could not believe I was making a report on the environment. They were convinced a British journalist in this sensitive area must be up to no good. |
Since then, relations have become even worse, as Iran blames Britain for the turmoil that has followed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in June. | |
So it was almost inevitable that when four British yachtsmen and a journalist strayed into Iranian waters, they would be questioned thoroughly. | So it was almost inevitable that when four British yachtsmen and a journalist strayed into Iranian waters, they would be questioned thoroughly. |
At the best of times, the Iranian government suspects the outside world is preoccupied with trying to undermine it. | At the best of times, the Iranian government suspects the outside world is preoccupied with trying to undermine it. |
Television address | Television address |
That obsession has come close to paranoia, as Iran takes on the West over its nuclear programme. | That obsession has come close to paranoia, as Iran takes on the West over its nuclear programme. |
Within the Iranian government, there is also likely to have been some discussion over whether the captured British yachtsmen could be exploited for propaganda purposes, as a group of Royal Navy sailors and Marines was when they were held two years ago. Iran must have decided not. | |
During a lengthy television appearance on Tuesday night, President Ahmadinejad did not mention the British sailors. Instead he focused on Iran's nuclear programme. | During a lengthy television appearance on Tuesday night, President Ahmadinejad did not mention the British sailors. Instead he focused on Iran's nuclear programme. |
President Ahmadinejad did not mention the sailors in his television address | President Ahmadinejad did not mention the sailors in his television address |
That enabled this problem to be solved by some old fashioned diplomacy, as both Britain and Iran detached the issue of the sailors from their deeper political differences. | That enabled this problem to be solved by some old fashioned diplomacy, as both Britain and Iran detached the issue of the sailors from their deeper political differences. |
But at times that outcome had seemed in doubt. | But at times that outcome had seemed in doubt. |
One particular comment on Tuesday rang alarm bells, when Iran warned of possible serious consequences if the sailors had entered Iranian waters with "evil intentions". | One particular comment on Tuesday rang alarm bells, when Iran warned of possible serious consequences if the sailors had entered Iranian waters with "evil intentions". |
Those words came from Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, one of Mr Ahmadinejad's closest aides and a man sometimes described as his ideological mentor. | Those words came from Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, one of Mr Ahmadinejad's closest aides and a man sometimes described as his ideological mentor. |
This morning, just as the sailors were being released, one hardline Iranian paper talked darkly of the "suspicious sailing of British people in the Persian Gulf". | This morning, just as the sailors were being released, one hardline Iranian paper talked darkly of the "suspicious sailing of British people in the Persian Gulf". |
Further problems | Further problems |
That is just the sort of whispering campaign that can spell trouble in Iran. | That is just the sort of whispering campaign that can spell trouble in Iran. |
In the end perhaps the evidence was simply too overwhelming that these British sailors had been doing what they always insisted, innocently taking a racing yacht to Dubai. | In the end perhaps the evidence was simply too overwhelming that these British sailors had been doing what they always insisted, innocently taking a racing yacht to Dubai. |
But with this mini-crisis over, there are plenty more issues to strain Iranian-British relations. | But with this mini-crisis over, there are plenty more issues to strain Iranian-British relations. |
Mr Ahmadinejad's government continues to confront the opposition, who believe he stole the election. | Mr Ahmadinejad's government continues to confront the opposition, who believe he stole the election. |
Reports have emerged that a leading economist and opposition figure, Saeed Leylaz, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. | Reports have emerged that a leading economist and opposition figure, Saeed Leylaz, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. |
And the storm clouds are gathering over Iran's nuclear programme, following the government's announcement of a huge expansion of its controversial capacity to enrich uranium. | And the storm clouds are gathering over Iran's nuclear programme, following the government's announcement of a huge expansion of its controversial capacity to enrich uranium. |
Probably to reassure the faithful Iran is not going soft on Britain, a government-sponsored demonstration has been held outside the British embassy in Tehran - a small message to signify that Britain is still officially part of what Iran describes as the "global arrogance". | Probably to reassure the faithful Iran is not going soft on Britain, a government-sponsored demonstration has been held outside the British embassy in Tehran - a small message to signify that Britain is still officially part of what Iran describes as the "global arrogance". |
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