News / World
Iranian President “Pardons” 15 British Sailors and Marines, Ends Two Week Detention
Having “confessed” to their crime of illegally entering Iranian waters, the 15 British sailors and marines detained by the Iranian Republican Guard have been “pardoned” by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ending a two week detention that had the world’s attention.
Before announcing their freedom Ahmadinejad honored the members of the Iranian Republican Guard who captured the 14 men and one woman while patrolling the Persian Gulf.
Since the beginning of the ordeal Iran has said that the 15 were in Iranian waters. Several members of the 15 were then paraded on camera and read “confessions” of their criminal act of knowingly entering Iranian waters. Several of the 15 apologized for their crimes, an act that Ahmadinejad addressed before the servicemen were released. Iran’s President appealed to British Prime Minister Tony Blair not to punish the sailors and marines for admitting they illegally entered Iranian waters.
Britain, along with several other countries, expressed outrage over the actions taken by Iran. Blair insisted that the sailors and marines never entered Iranian waters and he had GPS data to prove it. The 15 had been in Iraqi water patrolling for smugglers when they were surrounded by the Iranian Republican Guard.
