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Iran may delay release of woman sailor

Atul Aneja

Faye Turney "acknowledges" trespass

— PHOTO: AP

CENTRE OF ROW: Faye Turney (right), the only woman among the 15 British navy personnel seized by Iran, eats a meal with two other sailors in Tehran on Wednesday in this television image.

DUBAI: Britain's "incorrect attitude" may delay the release of the only woman crewmember who was part of a group of 15 sailors that Iran had detained last week, a top Iranian official has said.

In his remarks, Ali Larijani, head of the National Security Council appeared to be referring to Britain's refusal to accept that the sailors had been detained inside Iranian waters. Britain insists that the sailors were seized 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters.

According to the Iranian version, the incident took place 0.5 km inside Iranian maritime borders. Earlier, Iran had released a video of an interview with the British sailor Faye Turney, where she acknowledged that the crew had trespassed into Iranian waters. A footage of the rest of her colleagues had also been shown.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had previously said Ms. Turney would be released. He had also pledged that British officials in Tehran would be given consular access to the detained personnel.

Britain is circulating a draft statement in the United Nations Security Council seeking the immediate release of the 15.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held talks with Iran on the sidelines of the Arab summit in Riyadh. European Union foreign policy head Javier Solana said he had spoken to Iran's Foreign Minister and had called for an end to the "illegal" detention. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry has issued a statement "severely" protesting the "violation of its territorial waters." It will also deliver a letter underscoring its protest to the United Nations.

Protests

AP reports from London:

Britain's Ambassador to Tehran lodged an official complaint on Thursday against Iran's decision to show footage of Ms. Turney on Iranian television, said the Foreign Office.

In the video broadcast on Wednesday on Iran's Arab-language satellite channel, Ms. Turney said her group had ``trespassed'' Iranian waters.

The segment showed her wearing a black headscarf, sitting in a room with floral curtains.

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