Iran Gov't Seizes Royal Navy Boats & Sailors

punky · 21-06-2004, 17:54

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._british_ships

Err... This doesn't look good....

Paul K · 21-06-2004, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._british_ships

Err... This doesn't look good....

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC

A spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the vessels had entered Iranian waters without permission.

A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, Hamid Reza Asefi, said the three vessels had entered Iranian waters on Monday morning.

"Iran's naval forces, acting on their legal duty, confiscated the vessels and arrested the crew," he added.

An Iranian military spokesman said the boats were being escorted to shore, where an investigation would be conducted.

He indicated they could be freed soon if the inquiry showed there had been no malicious intent.

Hopefully they will embarrass the necessary people into apologising for not asking permission to enter the area they were caught in and then the boats and more importantly the crews will be released.
Looks like someone was flexing their muscles a bit.

punky · 21-06-2004, 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Hopefully they will embarrass the necessary people into apologising for not asking permission to enter the area they were caught in and then the boats and more importantly the crews will be released.
Looks like someone was flexing their muscles a bit.

I really doubt we would have deliberately gone in there without permission. We aren't crazy. I reckon our maps probably didn't tally with Iran's and it was a mistake.

That BBC report seems a bit softer though. Makes the situation sound a bit less worrying, which is nice.

Paul K · 21-06-2004, 18:17

Don't think we don't push our luck when we think we can get away with it, it's more than likely just a ****-up or mis-communication but none the less its more than a little embarrasing for the people in charge

21-06-2004, 18:24

Sounds like the commander of three rigid's couldnt read there map's, got lost, and now 8 Jack Tar's are having the cr@p scared out of them.

A bit embarrasing, but these things happen all the time. Just think back a couple of years. Bunch of Cabbage Hat's landed on the wrong beach, ended up in Spain instead of Gib.

punky · 22-06-2004, 12:09

Update: They are being prosecuted.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...d=540&ncid=716

God knows what punishment they'll get. Iran isn't renowned for its leniency. I saw a bit of the BBC report last night. They made out that not even Iran and Iraq knew where the border was. The best they could say was "between these two towns", 1km apart. They raised the good point that they could have been chasing criminals.

This really doesn't look good though now.

**Chris** · 22-06-2004, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Update: They are being prosecuted.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...d=540&ncid=716

God knows what punishment they'll get. Iran isn't renowned for its leniency. I saw a bit of the BBC report last night. They made out that not even Iran and Iraq knew where the border was. The best they could say was "between these two towns", 1km apart. They raised the good point that they could have been chasing criminals.

This really doesn't look good though now.

One thing is certain, they're not going to end up in some smelly Iranian jail. The Iranians don't like us very much but they can ill-afford that kind of dent in their international standing. This is just further muscle-flexing. There will probably be a show trial, leading to some appalling sentence, and at that point, they will be handed over as a 'sign of good will'.

I say we storm in there and get them out ourselves, and show those tinpot 'Revolutionary Guards' how the job is done.

22-06-2004, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

They raised the good point that they could have been chasing criminals.

As far as I know that wouldn`t make a difference, if that were the case then the criminals would have gone into a different jurisdiction where the British military had no rule.

22-06-2004, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

I say we storm in there and get them out ourselves, and show those tinpot 'Revolutionary Guards' how the job is done.

Who's this 'WE' there pale-face. You suddenly deciced to do you're bit then towny.

Ramrod · 23-06-2004, 15:58

Marines released

Quote:

Eight British Marines detained for illegally entering Iranian waters have been freed, the Iranian foreign ministry said today,
"The eight British sailors, including six soldiers and two ranking military officials, have been released," a spokeswoman said.
While they were no longer being detained it might be an hour or so before they were handed to British authorities, she added.
Meanwhile the three boats they arrived on would be kept.

23-06-2004, 16:27

Perhaps the whole thing was a blag to get three free patrol boats?

punky · 23-06-2004, 16:31

Well, thank God that is over. I must admit, it wasn't looking good. Blindfolded looking very uneasy, being forced to read from scripts, etc. And now they have seized our equiptment.

With what was initially, technically know as a "pr**k-waving exercise" from the Iranian government, they really decided to push their luck. Considering all the help we gave them after their last eqarthquake, you would have thought we deserved more respect. Given everything else (Iran is alledgley sitting on the border with Iraq taking pot-shots at us whenever they like, their well-known for support for both rogue terrorist groups and organised millitant shi'ite groups in Iraq). I'm wondering what would be best to do. Severing ties would be nice, but I doubt it will punish them as much as we like. Maybe going after them through the UN and IAEA with a renewed vigour. Make their lives as difficult as possible. Or is it better just to let it go and pretend it hasn't happened?

Personally, I think Iran taking pot shots at the UK from across the border is a declaration of war. But they know we have our hands full atm and can't even think about responding.

**Chris** · 23-06-2004, 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Well, thank God that is over. I must admit, it wasn't looking good. Blindfolded looking very uneasy, being forced to read from scripts, etc. And now they have seized our equiptment.

With what was initially, technically know as a "pr**k-waving exercise" from the Iranian government, they really decided to push their luck. Considering all the help we gave them after their last eqarthquake, you would have thought we deserved more respect. Given everything else (Iran is alledgley sitting on the border with Iraq taking pot-shots at us whenever they like, their well-known for support for both rogue terrorist groups and organised millitant shi'ite groups in Iraq). I'm wondering what would be best to do. Severing ties would be nice, but I doubt it will punish them as much as we like. Maybe going after them through the UN and IAEA with a renewed vigour. Make their lives as difficult as possible. Or is it better just to let it go and pretend it hasn't happened?

Personally, I think Iran taking pot shots at the UK from across the border is a declaration of war. But they know we have our hands full atm and can't even think about responding.

Well firstly I should say I'm glad it's over, and all without Earl having to kit me out in SAS gear and march me over the border in a daring attempt to rescue these guys.

Secondly - this is the first I've heard about Iranian soldiers shooting at the British army in Iraq. D'you have a link by any chance? That's really quite worrying.

punky · 23-06-2004, 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

Secondly - this is the first I've heard about Iranian soldiers shooting at the British army in Iraq. D'you have a link by any chance? That's really quite worrying.

I can't rememeber where I initially heard it. I have found this, but which is pretty good, but i'll keep looking and try find a source that is a bit better.

Well apparently the report, even though the site is on is a little biased, is allegedly from AFP. I can't search the AFP site, but they are probably as reliable as AP or Reuters, aren't they?

**Chris** · 23-06-2004, 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

I can't rememeber where I initially heard it. I have found this, but which is pretty good, but i'll keep looking and try find a source that is a bit better.

Mind you, that was back at the beginning of the war, hopefully it's calmed down a bit now - although the arrest of the British soldiers, set in that context, is worrying. Who's to say they really had strayed over the border? Many recent reports have said that nobody is entirely certain where the border is.