Posted on 03/28/2007 3:08:39 AM PDT by maquiladora
The dispute over 15 Royal Navy personnel being held in Iran is becoming a "difficult" and "dangerous" situation, the UK home secretary says.
John Reid's remarks on Sky News came after Tony Blair hinted at taking a more aggressive diplomatic approach.
The UK is set to release photographs to back its assertion that the Britons had not been in Iranian waters on Friday.
Preparations are in place for a news conference at the Ministry of Defence in London, where photographs of the moments when the Britons were captured will be revealed.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said the UK could confront Iran directly with satellite pictures and other evidence in an effort to prove the personnel had not strayed into Iranian territorial waters.
He said hardliners around Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believe the Britons may be ideal pawns, either for concessions over Iran's nuclear programme or to trade for five Iranians being held by the US in Iraq.
Mrs Beckett cut short her visit to Turkey to return to the UK where she will and give a statement on the crisis to MPs.
She decided to return after a phone call to the Iranian foreign minister on Tuesday made no progress.
Downing Street has said that up to now the UK has been attempting to talk "discreetly" to the Iranians to secure the release of the Royal Navy personnel.
The prime minister's spokesman said that if the talks were unsuccessful, the government may have to become "more explicit" with Iran.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Only if you lack testicles....
Oh no, no more comfy chair for Iran...
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