15 British personnel arrested by Iranians in the Persian Gulf

Iran says the incident occured in Iranian waters. Nearly everyone else claims the incident happened in Iraqi waters.

15 British personnel have been arrested by Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf.

The 15 had just boarded and searched a boat suspected of smuggling cars. They had gotten back into their two inflatable boats when they were surrounded by Iranian vessels of the Revolutionary Guard's Navy and arrested.

In Iran, officials were summoned from the British Consulate to explain the illegal incursion in Iranian waters.

In England, officials from the Iranian consulate were summoned to explain the arrests and to demand the immediate return of the British forces and their equipment (two inflatable boats and side-arms).

There is a lot of confusion presently. Most of the world's press are claiming that the incident took place in Iraqi waters and that the British forces were taken into Iranian waters after their arrest. The Iranians are claiming that the British personnel were arrested in Iranian territorial waters.

This incident has happened just as the UN are about to be told to impose sanctions on Iran by the US and UK. Many see this incident as an opportunistic ploy by the Iranians to force the US and the UK to play their hands early. Whether this is the case or not, it is a very dangerous time on the big scheme of things. The US politically is at a stage where their 'war on terror' is finally being seen as the huge mistake that it is by the good ole boys back home. Meanwhile back in the UK Tony Blair is at an all time low, with regard to how his leadership is seen, and his unquestioning support and facilitation of the US is also under public scrutiny.

It needs to be pointed out that this is not the first time that foreign troops have been arrested by the Iranians. Thus far, British troops have been released unharmed. Iranian troops have also at times been arrested by US forces acting close to the Iranian border. It will be interesting to see how this one is spun as being something out of the ordinary, and to see what the ramifications and solutions speculated on will be.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/24/world/europe/24britai...world