Iran to release British hostages

[Queasy]

Link

TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has pardoned and will free the 15 British sailors and marines detained in the Gulf last month.

Ahmadinejad also gave medals of honor to the Iranian coast guards who intercepted the 15 British sailors and marines in the Gulf, saying
Iran will never accept tresspassing of its territorial waters.

"On behalf of the great Iranian people, I want to thank the Iranian Coast Guard who courageously defended and captured those who violated their territorial waters, the president told a press conference.

He then interrupted his speech and pinned medals on the chests of three Coast Guard officers involved in capturing the British sailors and marines in the northern Gulf on March 23.

"We are sorry that British troops remain in
Iraq and their sailors are being arrested in Iran," Ahmadinejad said.

He criticized Britain for deploying Leading Seaman Faye Turney, one of the 15 detainees, in the Gulf, pointing out that she is a woman with a child.

Also Wednesday, Iran's state media reported that an Iranian envoy will be allowed to meet five Iranians detained by U.S. forces in northern Iraq since January.

A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said, however, that American authorities were still considering the request. The spokesman, Maj. Gen. William C. Caldwell, said an international Red Cross team, including one Iranian, had visited the prisoners but he did not say when.

 

[sixone]

About freaking time.

 

[Descartes]

"We are sorry that British troops remain in
Iraq and their sailors are being arrested in Iran," Ahmadinejad said.

Interesting. I think that says everything, but maybe I'm reading into it.

 

[DotheDamnTHing]

A fitting end to a turbulent few weeks

 

[eits]

you gotta credit ahmadinejad for being tactful towards the brits, yet at the same time, prideful of his coast guard.

 

[amddude]

This is yet another P&N item in OT, but having said that, this will lead to more trouble in the future from Iran now that they know the UK won't fight them, even when holding their people.

 

[mercanucaribe]

The soldiers weren't in Iranian waters. Iran even released two sets of coordinates- the first one showed them in Iraq. Then they released another to "fix" their mistake.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Originally posted by: eits
you gotta credit ahmadinejad for being tactful towards the brits, yet at the same time, prideful of his coast guard.

Are you kidding?

 

[lozina]

Poor Cheney, no Iran war now... guess they have to revert to their false flag attack plans

 

[clamum]

From what I gather, there really is no concrete boundary in the water between Iraq and Iran. Why don't they fix this so this sort of crap doesn't happen again?

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: amddude
This is yet another P&N item in OT, but having said that, this will lead to more trouble in the future from Iran now that they know the UK won't fight them, even when holding their people.

A hardline approach from the brits would have just given Ahmadinejad credibility. There are non-moronic people in Iran, and they know that Ahmadinejad was being stupid here, but cracking down on him would have just won him more popular support.

 

[Martin]

Well, I guess the little soap opera is done.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

woohoo, maybe oil prices will go down now that the fear mongers in the oil futures w.... I almost finished it without laughing. Sorry.

 

[sixone]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: eits
you gotta credit ahmadinejad for being tactful towards the brits, yet at the same time, prideful of his coast guard.

Are you kidding?

I doubt it.

It's not like Iran had a lot of choices. They were clearly in the wrong here, and following any other path would do more harm than good.

If he wants to put on a show with the medals, let him. It's the actions that count, not the words.

 

[Sphexi]

Perhaps a few US destroyers should "accidentally" show up in Iran's waters, and they can try and capture them.

 

[GasX]

Great Britain may be a small country, but even Ahmadinejad knows better than to provoke them enough that they cry havoc...

 

[dug777]

I wanted to see the SAS show you yankees how a real hostage situation should be handled.

 

[j00fek]

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