Military

Larijani: London's rhetoric might serve to suspend release of British sailor

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 29, IRNA
Iran-UK-Marines
Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said on Thursday that the harsh rhetoric and propaganda of British officials might lead to suspension of freedom of a female marine, who was arrested on Friday.

Larijani made the remarks at a news conference where he said the Britain government has launched a propaganda campaign and political hue and cry over arrest of 15 British marines in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

"The best logical way to resolve the issue is reasoning and technical and legal examination of the case," he noted.

"The British try to change the truth through ballyhoo and hue and cry in order to put pressure on Iran and achieve their goals," he said.

The SNSC secretary added that two UK boats have been seized because of illegal entry into Iranian waters and the servicemen on board have been arrested. "Similar cases have already taken place and we witnessed violation of our territorial waters by British military servicemen."

The British while admitting the illegal entry of their servicemen into Iranian territorial waters had undertaken that such an issue would not happen again, he noted.

Pointing to the transparency of the laws of the seas, he said that the British boats were not sailing in the Iranian territorial waters but that they had stopped a ship for inspection. Thus, the marines were arrested for illegal entry into the country's territorial waters.

He noted that there are new scientific technologies which can help solve the problem via technical ways.

Larijani said that certain European officials had made strange remarks on the issue, before they bothered to study the technical and legal aspects of the case.

"Iran is interested in settlement of the issue through cooperation, dialogue as well as technical and legal investigations," he noted.

Touching on the reason for the arrest of the British marines, he said hat "We intend to find out the reason for their illegal entry into Iranian territorial waters."

The Iraqi president and Turkish prime minister have called for settlement of the issue, he said, adding, "We assured them that the Islamic Republic will handle the case according to laws and with an positive approach."

Referring to Iran's good-will in this respect and preparation of grounds for release a female British sailor, he said that given the harsh rhetoric of the British government, her release might be suspended.

"If the London government calls for follow-up of the case through media propaganda and political hue and cry, bilateral discussions on the issue will be out of agenda, and we will follow it up
through legal channel," he said.

The British intend to violate the sovereignty of regional countries under pretext of inspecting ships sailing within the territorial waters of Iraq, he said, adding that they should know that they have to pay a heavy price for violation of other countries' sovereignty.

AN/1412