Britain freezes Iran ties, female sailor may be freed

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Faye Turney, 26, — the only female crew member — could be released later on Wednesday or on Thursday.

Defence officials said Iran, which claims the Britons had strayed into its waters, had changed its account of events during negotiations in London and Tehran — first offering coordinates which placed the naval vessels inside Iraqi waters. Vice Admiral Charles Style said Iran gave the initial coordinates on Sunday, but by Monday offered a revised position two miles east, placing the British boats inside Iranian waters — a claim Style said was not verified by Global Positioning System coordinates.

Style said satellite positioning coordinates showed the 15 Britons were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters when they were detained. “It is hard to understand a legitimate reason for this change of coordinates,” Style said. “We unambiguously contest both the positions provided by the Iranians.”

Two Iranian vessels armed with heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades had ambushed the seven marines and eight sailors, Style said. Four other vessels joined the Iranian boats to escort the British crew — in their two small launches — to an Iranian Republican Guard compound, the defence ministry said. Blair said that under rules of engagement the British crew, armed with pistols and SA80 assault rifles, could have fired in self defence, but had chosen not to as it would have “undoubtedly resulted in a severe loss of life”.