DAR AL HARB / ISLAM - U.K. / IRAN: U.K. SAYS "SOD OFF SWAMPIE" IN REACTION TO IRAN'S DEMAND FOR APOLOGY & ADMISSION

U.K. Rejects Iran's Demand For Apology
Brits' Tough Stance Draws Threat From Tehran To Delay Woman Sailor's Release

Britain rejected a demand Thursday by Iran's foreign minister that it admit its 15 sailors and marines entered Iranian waters in order to resolve a standoff over their capture.

The diplomatic crisis seemed unlikely to ease, as Britain and Iran continued their public tugowar over the troops release.

Iranian negotiator Ali Larijani said Thursday Iran may delay the release of the one female British sailor if Britain takes the issue to the U.N. Security Council or freezes relations.

Speaking on Iranian state radio, Larijani said: "British leaders have miscalculated this issue."

If Britain follows through with its policies on the 15 British sailors and marines detained by Iran last week, Larijani said "this case may face a legal path", a clear reference to Iran's prosecuting the sailors in court.

Britain earlier Thursday asked the Security Council to support a call for the immediate release of detainees, saying in a statement they were operating in Iraqi waters under a mandate from the Security Council and at the request of Iraq. The issue was expected to be debated Thursday.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, meanwhile, held talks with Iran's foreign minister in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in the world body's first direct diplomatic foray into the British-Iranian dispute.

Ban's spokeswoman, Soung-Ah Choi, said the U.N. secretary-general was addressing a number of issues in the talks and that the detention of the Britons was among them. She would not give immediate details on the talks, which were still ongoing.

Ban and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki were both attending a summit of Arab leaders in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

A day earlier, Mottaki said Britain should admit its Royal Navy crew were in Iranian waters off the Iraqi coast when they were seized last week. It was the first time Tehran has raised a possible way to resolve the stand-off, but Britain quickly rejected any admission.

Since the crew's detention, Britain has insisted they were in Iraqi waters. A Foreign Office official in London said no admission would be forthcoming because "the detention is completely wrong, illegal and unacceptable and we've set out the reasons why."

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Pertinent Links:

1) U.K. Rejects Iran's Demand For Apology