London, Dec 1 (DPA) Britain is “doing all it can” to resolve swiftly a crisis with Iran over the detention of five Britons whose racing yacht was stopped by the Iranian navy last week, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said here.
The vessel, owned by the holiday company Sail Bahrain, could “inadvertently” have entered Iranian waters as it was sailing from Bahrain to Dubai last Wednesday, a Foreign Office statement said.
The crew members were still in Iran. All are understood to be safe and well and their families had been informed, said the statement Monday.
Miliband said the matter had been raised with the Iranian authorities and he hoped it could soon be resolved.
He said Foreign Office officials had immediately contacted the Iranian authorities in London and in Tehran on the evening of Nov 25, “both to seek clarification and to try and resolve the matter swiftly”.
The matter had also been raised at ambassadorial level in both capitals and ..hoped it could soon be resolved, said Miliband in his statement.
“We will remain in close touch with the Iranian authorities, as well as the families.”
However, the timing of the incident immediately gave rise to suspicion that the capture could have a political motive, coming amid rising international tensions over Iran’s announcement that it would build 10 new uranium enrichment plants.
Although involving civilians, the incident also immediate recalled the international standoff two years ago following the capture by Iran of 15 Royal Navy crew members for trespassing Iranian waters. The sailors were freed in April 2007 after being held for two weeks.
The Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines, from the frigate HMS Cornwall, were taken at gunpoint by Iranian warships during a routine search of a cargo ship in the northern Persian Gulf Mar 23, 2007.
Iran alleged the frigate had strayed into Iranian territorial waters but the Ministry of Defence denied the allegation and said the ship was in Iraqi waters.
Footage of crew members, including one woman, was broadcast by Iranian television during their kidnap ordeal. But after 13 days, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed to pardon and free the Britons amid a fanfare of publicity and celebrations in Tehran.
