Thig Lyfe
04-04-2007, 10:20 AM
Iran president to free UK sailors
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has met with some of the 15 British military personnel held in Iranian custody for almost two weeks, shortly after pardoning the group and vowing to set them free.
Iranian state television showed footage of Ahmadinejad shaking hands, smiling and chatting with the detainees who were dressed in suits. One of them was heard to comment in English: "We are grateful for your forgiveness." (Watch Ahmadinejad meet British detainess, wish them luck )
Iranian state television said the 15 would leave Iran by plane on Thursday, agencies reported. A CNN source said they were to leave Tehran at 8 a.m. (0430 GMT).
Ahmadinejad announced the amnesty at the end of a lengthy news conference on Wednesday in which he said the detainees had violated Iran's territorial waters and called their release "a gift to the British people."
"I declare that the people of Iran and the government of Iran -- in full power to place on trial the military people -- to give amnesty and pardon to these 15 people and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said.
The action was a goodwill gesture for the Iranian new year, he said, adding that Iran had received a letter from Britain promising not to intrude into Iranian waters.
"The British government sent a letter to our Foreign Ministry and said it would not happen again. Of course, our decision had nothing to do with the letter. It's a decision made by our government to give a gift to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said in answer to a reporter's question. (Watch Ahmadinejad warn Blair not to question released personnel )
An Iranian diplomat in London told The Associated Press that the 15 would be handed over to the British Embassy in Tehran.
"They will go through some brief formalities and then they will go to the embassy," he said. "They can go on a British Airways flight to Heathrow, they can go through the UAE, it is up to the British Embassy in Tehran in coordination with the Foreign Office here."
A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the announcement: "We are now establishing exactly what this means in terms of the method and timing of their release."
In New York, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said: "If this news is confirmed, then it's tremendous news and we're delighted."
In Washington, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, "President Bush also welcomes the news."
Ahmadinejad had earlier praised the border guards who captured the 15, presenting their commander with a medal for bravery.
"I thank the border guards who bravely protect our borders and also arrested the violators, and I grant them the bravery medal to their commander," Ahmadinejad said.
Ahmadinejad's annoucement followed a cooling in the diplomatic row that had raged between London and Tehran since the Britons' detention on March 23. (Watch how tempers have cooled in diplomatic dispute )
Iran had insisted that Britain must admit its military personnel intruded into Iranian territorial waters and "guarantee this violation would not be committed again."
Britain claimed the sailors and marines were well inside Iraqi waters when Iran captured them on March 23.
Iran had released several videos showing the 14 men and one woman in which they appeared to be in good health. Iran also released videotaped confessions from four of the sailors -- including the woman, Faye Turney.
Britain said the confessions were coerced and expressed its outrage at the videos' release.
Other developments
A U.S. military official said Washington officials were considering a request made by Iran to allow Iranian representatives access to the five detained Iranians captured early January by U.S. forces during a military raid in northern Iraq. "The request has been made but nothing has been approved," the official told CNN on Wednesday. (Iraq pressing U.S. to release Iranians)
Iranian officials in Kish Island said a U.S. inquiry into an American citizen who has been missing for several weeks in southern Iran was made for "political purposes," according to IRNA, Iran's state-run news agency.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/04/iran.sailors/index.html
---
Looks like he's trying to avoid getting bombed...
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has met with some of the 15 British military personnel held in Iranian custody for almost two weeks, shortly after pardoning the group and vowing to set them free.
Iranian state television showed footage of Ahmadinejad shaking hands, smiling and chatting with the detainees who were dressed in suits. One of them was heard to comment in English: "We are grateful for your forgiveness." (Watch Ahmadinejad meet British detainess, wish them luck )
Iranian state television said the 15 would leave Iran by plane on Thursday, agencies reported. A CNN source said they were to leave Tehran at 8 a.m. (0430 GMT).
Ahmadinejad announced the amnesty at the end of a lengthy news conference on Wednesday in which he said the detainees had violated Iran's territorial waters and called their release "a gift to the British people."
"I declare that the people of Iran and the government of Iran -- in full power to place on trial the military people -- to give amnesty and pardon to these 15 people and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said.
The action was a goodwill gesture for the Iranian new year, he said, adding that Iran had received a letter from Britain promising not to intrude into Iranian waters.
"The British government sent a letter to our Foreign Ministry and said it would not happen again. Of course, our decision had nothing to do with the letter. It's a decision made by our government to give a gift to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said in answer to a reporter's question. (Watch Ahmadinejad warn Blair not to question released personnel )
An Iranian diplomat in London told The Associated Press that the 15 would be handed over to the British Embassy in Tehran.
"They will go through some brief formalities and then they will go to the embassy," he said. "They can go on a British Airways flight to Heathrow, they can go through the UAE, it is up to the British Embassy in Tehran in coordination with the Foreign Office here."
A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the announcement: "We are now establishing exactly what this means in terms of the method and timing of their release."
In New York, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said: "If this news is confirmed, then it's tremendous news and we're delighted."
In Washington, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, "President Bush also welcomes the news."
Ahmadinejad had earlier praised the border guards who captured the 15, presenting their commander with a medal for bravery.
"I thank the border guards who bravely protect our borders and also arrested the violators, and I grant them the bravery medal to their commander," Ahmadinejad said.
Ahmadinejad's annoucement followed a cooling in the diplomatic row that had raged between London and Tehran since the Britons' detention on March 23. (Watch how tempers have cooled in diplomatic dispute )
Iran had insisted that Britain must admit its military personnel intruded into Iranian territorial waters and "guarantee this violation would not be committed again."
Britain claimed the sailors and marines were well inside Iraqi waters when Iran captured them on March 23.
Iran had released several videos showing the 14 men and one woman in which they appeared to be in good health. Iran also released videotaped confessions from four of the sailors -- including the woman, Faye Turney.
Britain said the confessions were coerced and expressed its outrage at the videos' release.
Other developments
A U.S. military official said Washington officials were considering a request made by Iran to allow Iranian representatives access to the five detained Iranians captured early January by U.S. forces during a military raid in northern Iraq. "The request has been made but nothing has been approved," the official told CNN on Wednesday. (Iraq pressing U.S. to release Iranians)
Iranian officials in Kish Island said a U.S. inquiry into an American citizen who has been missing for several weeks in southern Iran was made for "political purposes," according to IRNA, Iran's state-run news agency.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/04/iran.sailors/index.html
---
Looks like he's trying to avoid getting bombed...