This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6528235.stm
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| British sailors on their way home | British sailors on their way home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The 15 Royal Navy crew members held captive by Iran are flying home after being freed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a "gift" to the UK. | The 15 Royal Navy crew members held captive by Iran are flying home after being freed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a "gift" to the UK. |
| They left Tehran Airport at about 0800 local time (0530 BST) on a British Airways flight bound for Heathrow. | They left Tehran Airport at about 0800 local time (0530 BST) on a British Airways flight bound for Heathrow. |
| Before leaving, several of the crew spoke on Iranian television to express thanks for their release. | Before leaving, several of the crew spoke on Iranian television to express thanks for their release. |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair said the homecoming would be "a profound relief" to the personnel and their families. | Prime Minister Tony Blair said the homecoming would be "a profound relief" to the personnel and their families. |
| 'Apparent intrusion' | 'Apparent intrusion' |
| The navy personnel arrived at the airport in a fleet of official cars, after 13 days in Iranian custody. They are expected to arrive back in the UK at about midday. | The navy personnel arrived at the airport in a fleet of official cars, after 13 days in Iranian custody. They are expected to arrive back in the UK at about midday. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Of course diplomacy worked, it was a diplomatic incident Colin Campbell, Stockholm, Sweden Send us your comments Families' joy and relief | HAVE YOUR SAY Of course diplomacy worked, it was a diplomatic incident Colin Campbell, Stockholm, Sweden Send us your comments Families' joy and relief |
| Before leaving, one of the 15, Lt Felix Carman, told Iranian television: "To the Iranian people, I can understand why you were insulted by our apparent intrusion into your waters. | Before leaving, one of the 15, Lt Felix Carman, told Iranian television: "To the Iranian people, I can understand why you were insulted by our apparent intrusion into your waters. |
| "I'd like to say that no harm was meant to Iranian people or its territories whatsoever, and that I hope that this experience will help to build the relationship between our countries." | "I'd like to say that no harm was meant to Iranian people or its territories whatsoever, and that I hope that this experience will help to build the relationship between our countries." |
| The only woman in the group, Leading Seaman Faye Turney, said: "Apologies for our actions, but many thanks for having it in your hearts to let us go free." | The only woman in the group, Leading Seaman Faye Turney, said: "Apologies for our actions, but many thanks for having it in your hearts to let us go free." |
| Both said they had been well treated by their captors. | Both said they had been well treated by their captors. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad said no concessions had been made by the British government to secure the releases, but that Britain had pledged "that the incident would not be repeated". | Mr Ahmadinejad said no concessions had been made by the British government to secure the releases, but that Britain had pledged "that the incident would not be repeated". |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain's approach to the crisis had been "firm but calm - not negotiating but not confronting either". | Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain's approach to the crisis had been "firm but calm - not negotiating but not confronting either". |
| Speaking at a news conference, Mr Ahmadinejad repeated Iran's view that the crew had "invaded" Iranian waters but said they were being freed as a "gift" to Britain. | Speaking at a news conference, Mr Ahmadinejad repeated Iran's view that the crew had "invaded" Iranian waters but said they were being freed as a "gift" to Britain. |
| Britain says the crew were in Iraqi waters under a UN mandate when they were captured, and says the confessions were extracted under duress. | Britain says the crew were in Iraqi waters under a UN mandate when they were captured, and says the confessions were extracted under duress. |
| Former British ambassador to Iran Sir Richard Dalton said Iran's reputation had been harmed by the episode. | Former British ambassador to Iran Sir Richard Dalton said Iran's reputation had been harmed by the episode. |
| "I think Iran's reputation has deteriorated where it counts, in many capitals, including the capitals of countries which are close to it who have joined in the effort to get these captives released," he said. | "I think Iran's reputation has deteriorated where it counts, in many capitals, including the capitals of countries which are close to it who have joined in the effort to get these captives released," he said. |
| "The action which the Iranian government has taken gives them a blaze of favourable publicity which is going to be short-lived, and it's not going to alter the difficulty of addressing these major issues, like the nuclear question, and is not going to give Iran any leverage in them." | "The action which the Iranian government has taken gives them a blaze of favourable publicity which is going to be short-lived, and it's not going to alter the difficulty of addressing these major issues, like the nuclear question, and is not going to give Iran any leverage in them." |
| Nuclear ambitions | Nuclear ambitions |
| However, former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said President Ahmadinejad was the clear winner and had been strengthened in his pursuit of nuclear weapons. | However, former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said President Ahmadinejad was the clear winner and had been strengthened in his pursuit of nuclear weapons. |
| CAPTURED NAVY PERSONNEL Chris Air, 25, from Altrincham in CheshireMark Banks, 24, of Lowestoft, SuffolkPaul Barton, of Southport, MerseysideArthur Batchelor, 20, of PlymouthFelix Carman, 26, of SwanseaChristopher Coe, 31, of HuddersfieldDean Harris, 24, of Carmarthen, west WalesAndrew HendersonSimon MasseyDanny Masterton, 26, of Muirkirk, AyrshireAdam Sperry, 22, of Wigston, near LeicesterNathan Summers, of Hayle, CornwallJoe Tindell, 21, of south LondonFaye Turney, 26, originally from ShropshireOne captive remains unnamed Profiles of navy personnel The UK and Iranian versions of events | |
| "President Ahmadinejad comes out of this as a winner on two counts," he said. | "President Ahmadinejad comes out of this as a winner on two counts," he said. |
| "He won by seizing British hostages and he won by unilaterally deciding to release them, having found out the answer to the question I think he was posing, which is - how strong a response will Britain make to this act of taking captive these 15 service members? | "He won by seizing British hostages and he won by unilaterally deciding to release them, having found out the answer to the question I think he was posing, which is - how strong a response will Britain make to this act of taking captive these 15 service members? |
| "The reaction was - not much at all. I think Ahmadinejad is actually emboldened in his pursuit of nuclear weapons, and I think that means more trouble ahead for all of us." | "The reaction was - not much at all. I think Ahmadinejad is actually emboldened in his pursuit of nuclear weapons, and I think that means more trouble ahead for all of us." |
| And the father of one of the crew members criticised Tony Blair's handling of the crisis. | And the father of one of the crew members criticised Tony Blair's handling of the crisis. |
| Paul Carman, the father of Lt Carman, said: "I've been very disappointed and in some cases extremely angered by what I regard as risible attempts at bravado, absolutely ridiculous schoolboy diplomacy." | Paul Carman, the father of Lt Carman, said: "I've been very disappointed and in some cases extremely angered by what I regard as risible attempts at bravado, absolutely ridiculous schoolboy diplomacy." |
| Jimmy Carter, who was US President in 1979 when American nationals were taken hostage at the US embassy in Tehran, said he was impressed that diplomacy had solved the crisis. | Jimmy Carter, who was US President in 1979 when American nationals were taken hostage at the US embassy in Tehran, said he was impressed that diplomacy had solved the crisis. |
| "As soon as the harsh rhetoric was assuaged on both sides - from London and also from Tehran - then normal diplomacy prevailed. I'm very grateful to see that," he said. | "As soon as the harsh rhetoric was assuaged on both sides - from London and also from Tehran - then normal diplomacy prevailed. I'm very grateful to see that," he said. |
| Former Chancellor Lord Lamont, who is president of the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce, said he believed the government made a "big mistake" by going to the UN. | Former Chancellor Lord Lamont, who is president of the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce, said he believed the government made a "big mistake" by going to the UN. |
| "It clearly irritated the Iranians hugely - they didn't want this international involvement and things went much better when it was handled diplomatically, one country to one country." | "It clearly irritated the Iranians hugely - they didn't want this international involvement and things went much better when it was handled diplomatically, one country to one country." |
| The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran said speculation was likely to continue over whether the release had anything to do with developments in Iraq. | The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran said speculation was likely to continue over whether the release had anything to do with developments in Iraq. |
| There, an Iranian envoy has reportedly been given access to five Iranians captured by US forces and a kidnapped diplomat was released on Tuesday. | There, an Iranian envoy has reportedly been given access to five Iranians captured by US forces and a kidnapped diplomat was released on Tuesday. |