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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran withdraws offer to release kidnapped sailor
2007-03-29
The Iranian hostage crisis took a sinister turn last night when Tehran withdrew an earlier offer to release one of the 15 captive sailors and marines and issued a second, strangely-worded letter in her name calling for Britain to withdraw from Iraq. The letter, signed by Leading Seaman Faye Turney, the only woman in the naval crew seized last Friday, was addressed to "representatives of the House of Commons". Although the letter was handwritten, it was stilted and lacked the personal tone of the first letter, sent to her family the day before. The second letter appeared to have been dictated to her.

Unfortunately during the course of our mission we entered into Iranian waters. Even through our wrongdoing, they have still treated us well and humanely, which I am and always will be eternally grateful," the letter said. "I ask representatives of the House of Commons after the government had promised this type of incident would not happen again why have they let this occur and why has the government not been questioned over this? Isn't it time for us to start withdrawing forces from Iraq and let them determine their own future?"

A Downing Street source said: "It is a disgrace. It is cold and callous to be doing this to a woman at a time when she is being detained in this way."

The letter was released at the end of a day of rising tensions and diverging negotiating positions. Tony Blair said he was still willing to put the whole incident down to a "misunderstanding".

"The important thing is we just keep making it very clear to the Iranian government it is not a situation that will be relieved by anything but the unconditional release of all our people," he said. "What we have to do in a very firm way is step up the pressure."

Last night the UN security council released a meaningless statement expressing its "grave concern" at the capture of the sailors and marines. However, the wording of the statement was weaker than Britain had hoped after council members, notably Russia, balked at a draft that asked for the Britons' immediate release and stated that the navy boats were in Iraqi waters. The UN moves were part of an ineffectual British effort focused on building international solidarity and isolating Iran. They lobbied the Axis of Evil the UN security council, the European Union and an Arab summit in Riyadh for statements criticising Iran's actions.

The Iranian response was to dig in. An offer of diplomatic access to the British captives and to release Leading Seaman Turney was dropped. The head of the country's national security council, Ari Larijani, told state television the British government had "miscalculated this issue, and if they follow through with the threats, the case may face a legal path", an apparent reference to a future trial.

Another Iranian news agency quoted the military chief, General Ali Reza Afshar, saying that as a result of Britain's insufficiently dhimmi "wrong behaviour" the release of the woman sailor had been "suspended", reversing an undertaking given the day before by the foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki.

Meanwhile, a coastguard officer appeared on television to deliver a rebuttal of Britain's account of Friday's incident, displaying a map and GPS monitors purporting to show that the British navy patrol had been in Iranian waters. In an interview with ITV News Mr Blair was asked directly about the treatment of Leading Seaman Turney, who is the mother of a three-year-old girl, and who was shown on Iranian television on Wednesday "confessing" to having entered Iranian waters.

The prime minister said: "I just think it's typical of Islam... a disgrace actually, when people are used in that way." He added: "The longer it goes on, the more the pressure will be stepped up. We are going to have to step up pressure, not just with them in the UN and the European Union, but see what further measures are necessary to get them to understand it's not merely wrong but [it's] only going to result in further tension."
Posted by:Jackal

#5  As mentioned earlier, Iranians lie, always have, always will. It's genetic. The answer is relatively simple. Revoke visas for all their UN delegates and toss them out of the this country ASAP. Not allowed back in the US ever.
24 hour notice NATO (attck on one is an attack on all) will destroy their gasoline refinery as a token gesture of seriousness unless the captives are released. Any harm to the captives it's blockade time and goodbye Mullahs. ( I kind of liked the trade for Jimmah Carter though, another Nobel Prize post mortem, would be acceptable)
Posted by: Phineter Thraviger   2007-03-29 23:24  

#4  RUSSIA-CHINA have both premised their future economic and geopol success on AMER GETTING STEADILY WEAKER, NOT STRONGER. nor even the post-Cold War/USSR "status quo".
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2007-03-29 22:32  

#3  I *really* wish the US wasn't such a crack whore when it came to oil. Our problems with Islam wouldn't go away - and Chavez would still be an a-hole. But somehow I'd feel better knowing I'm not contributing to some nutcase's nuke fund every time I fire up my car.

And it would keep Al Gore away. Bonus.
Posted by: Geoffro   2007-03-29 21:23  

#2  In other words ... "further tension" actually benefits them. Their budget is dependent on oil revenue. This cranks that revenue up. China will sell them cheap goods no matter what the UN does. Russia will block any strong action too. They can milk this practically forever.
Posted by: crosspatch   2007-03-29 20:55  

#1  Oil must not be rising fast enough to suit them. I believe Iran is going to continue milking this until it no longer has an impact on the oil markets (becomes old news).

Posted by: crosspatch   2007-03-29 20:52  

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