London (England): Britain decided on Wednesday to freeze official contacts with Iran as the dispute over the detained British sailors escalated, with Prime Minister Tony Blair vowing to “ratchet up” international pressure on Tehran.
A group of sailors of the British Royal Navy were detained last week by Iran on charges of “illegally entering waters.” The sailors were conducting a routine inspection of a merchant vessel at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
The groups also included one female British sailor who was detained with 14 male sailors and marines by Iran last week. She has written a letter to her parents "admitting" that her crew entered into Iranian waters, according to a letter released by the Iranian government. The letter was handed to the British ambassador in Tehran on Wednesday.
Britain’s Foreign Office said it will halt all official visits between the two countries, suspend the issuance of visas to Iranian officials and end support for events such as trade missions until the 15 British sailors and marines are released.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was an "incontrovertible fact" that the "seizure" of British personnel in the Persian Gulf was "utterly without foundation."
The British sailors and marines were aboard frigate HMS Cornwall during a patrol to prevent smuggling, according to Britain's Ministry of Defense.
They were captured March 23 by members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards while conducting what Britain called a routine inspection of a merchant vessel near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
"These personnel were patrolling in Iraqi waters under a United Nations mandate," Blair said during a House of Commons session Wednesday.
Blair said his country is in contact with "everyone in Europe, NATO, the United Nations and the allies out in the Gulf region" to ratchet up pressure on the Iranian government.
Footage shows detainees in “good health”....
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An Iranian television station broadcast the first video of Faye Turney, in which she smoked a cigarette as she spoke with someone off camera. She wore a black scarf covering her head.
The video also showed some of the other British detainees eating. All appeared to be in good health. The letter said she regretted entering Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf.
"We were out in the boats when we were arrested by Iranian forces as we had apparently gone into Iranian waters. I wish we hadn't because then I'd be home with you all right now. I am so sorry we did, because I know we wouldn't be here now if we hadn't," the letter released by Iran said.
The British government protested Iran's broadcast of the captured crew as "completely unacceptable".
No other details were given about her possible release. Earlier Wednesday Britain increased pressure on Iran, releasing evidence it said showed the group was operating in Iraqi waters and freezing bilateral contacts until the crisis is resolved. Iran insists the group was inside its territorial waters.
"We are now in a new phase of diplomatic activity," British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told members of parliament.
"We need to focus all our bilateral efforts during this phase to resolution of this issue," she added. "We will therefore be imposing a freeze on all other official bilateral business with Iran until this situation is resolved."
The freeze means all official inward and outward visits will be stopped, visas to Iranian officials will not be issued, British support for other events such as trade missions to Iran is put on hold and government-to-government business on other issues will cease, the UK foreign office told The Associated Press.
Beckett also said the Iranian government was still refusing to give British officials information on exactly where the Britons were being held and was denying consular access to them.
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