Thursday, April 05, 2007
British sailors released by Iran
Iran, U.K., Security
(Al Jazeera) - Iran's blame game with Britain over the capture of 15 sailors appears to have been defused after the Iranian president announced they were to be released, but the claim game is just beginning. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country's decision to free the soldiers after 13 days was a gift to the British people.
In the process, his country was able to deflect attention from its nuclear programme and prove it could cause trouble in the Middle East if it wanted to. But it did not get the main thing it sought - a public apology from London for entering Iranian waters. Britain, which said its crew was in Iraqi waters when seized, said it never offered a quid pro quo, but relied on quiet diplomacy.
Tony Blair, the British prime minister, said London's "measured approach" had been effective. "Throughout we have taken a measured approach - firm but calm, not negotiating, but not confronting either," adding a message to the Iranian people that "we bear you no ill will." However, Iran's announcement coincided with the release in Baghdad of an Iranian diplomat seized in Iraq in early February. Iran had blamed US forces for the abduction but the US denied involvement.
Iranian state media also said five Iranian officials captured by US forces in northern Iraq in January and accused of seeking to stir trouble were expected to receive their first visit by an Iranian diplomat soon. But what Iran might have won is a more careful Western approach to the Middle East power. The US says its policy is to arrest Iranians in Iraq who are funnelling arms or money to Shia fighters there. But it may be more cautious if it thinks Iran is willing to retaliate by seizing US troops.
Ahmadinejad said the British government was "not brave enough" to admit the crew had been in Iranian waters when it was captured. But he said Britain had sent a letter to the Iranian foreign ministry pledging that the incident "will not happen again". Britain's foreign ministry would not give details about the letter but said its position was clear that the detained crew had been in Iraqi waters. Ahmadinejad declared that even though Iran had the right to put the Britons on trial, he had "pardoned" them to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, celebrated on March 30 this year, and the coming Easter holiday.
But it was not just Iran and Britain who were trying to come off looking good in this standoff. Syria, Iran's close ally, said it had played a role in winning the release of the sailors. Walid al-Moallem, Syria's foreign minister, said in Damascus on Wednesday: "Syria exercised a sort of quiet diplomacy to solve this problem and encourage dialogue between the two parties."
The breakthrough appeared to have caught the British government by surprise. On Tuesday, Margaret Beckett, the foreign secretary, had told reporters not to expect a quick end to the standoff. Some analysts say Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, decided the crisis had gone far enough at a time when Tehran faces mounting pressure over its nuclear programme.
Whether that is a sign of internal dissent in Iran or finely honed, clever brinkmanship, Iran clearly gained some things from the dispute - at least enough to make the West cautious that it would be willing to enter into such a standoff again. Observers fear that the 13-day crisis may be precursor of things to come in Iran's confrontations with the West.
In the process, his country was able to deflect attention from its nuclear programme and prove it could cause trouble in the Middle East if it wanted to. But it did not get the main thing it sought - a public apology from London for entering Iranian waters. Britain, which said its crew was in Iraqi waters when seized, said it never offered a quid pro quo, but relied on quiet diplomacy.
Tony Blair, the British prime minister, said London's "measured approach" had been effective. "Throughout we have taken a measured approach - firm but calm, not negotiating, but not confronting either," adding a message to the Iranian people that "we bear you no ill will." However, Iran's announcement coincided with the release in Baghdad of an Iranian diplomat seized in Iraq in early February. Iran had blamed US forces for the abduction but the US denied involvement.
Iranian state media also said five Iranian officials captured by US forces in northern Iraq in January and accused of seeking to stir trouble were expected to receive their first visit by an Iranian diplomat soon. But what Iran might have won is a more careful Western approach to the Middle East power. The US says its policy is to arrest Iranians in Iraq who are funnelling arms or money to Shia fighters there. But it may be more cautious if it thinks Iran is willing to retaliate by seizing US troops.
Ahmadinejad said the British government was "not brave enough" to admit the crew had been in Iranian waters when it was captured. But he said Britain had sent a letter to the Iranian foreign ministry pledging that the incident "will not happen again". Britain's foreign ministry would not give details about the letter but said its position was clear that the detained crew had been in Iraqi waters. Ahmadinejad declared that even though Iran had the right to put the Britons on trial, he had "pardoned" them to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, celebrated on March 30 this year, and the coming Easter holiday.
But it was not just Iran and Britain who were trying to come off looking good in this standoff. Syria, Iran's close ally, said it had played a role in winning the release of the sailors. Walid al-Moallem, Syria's foreign minister, said in Damascus on Wednesday: "Syria exercised a sort of quiet diplomacy to solve this problem and encourage dialogue between the two parties."
The breakthrough appeared to have caught the British government by surprise. On Tuesday, Margaret Beckett, the foreign secretary, had told reporters not to expect a quick end to the standoff. Some analysts say Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, decided the crisis had gone far enough at a time when Tehran faces mounting pressure over its nuclear programme.
Whether that is a sign of internal dissent in Iran or finely honed, clever brinkmanship, Iran clearly gained some things from the dispute - at least enough to make the West cautious that it would be willing to enter into such a standoff again. Observers fear that the 13-day crisis may be precursor of things to come in Iran's confrontations with the West.
Labels: British sailors, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Syria, Tony Blair, U.K., Walid al-Moallem
