Iran, UK talks on detained sailors to resume today

8216;8216;Negotiations began between the Iranian political, diplomatic delegation and a team from the British consulate in Iran after their arrival in the city of Mahshahr in Khuzestan,8217;8217; Iran8217;s Al Alam satellite channel reported.

The channel showed pictures of the eight detainees blindfolded and walking in single file on a beach next to what appeared to be the Shatt al-Arab waterway. 8216;8216;I offer my apologies to my family and the British government and the Iranian people for making this mistake,8217;8217; said one of the men.

The six marines and two sailors were detained on Monday, after their boats strayed into the Islamic Republic8217;s territorial waters.

A British military source said the men may have strayed into Iranian waters in bad weather in confined straits. Britain8217;s Ministry of Defence said the men were only carrying their personal weapons.

The official IRNA news agency quoted a source as saying an inquiry had found the men had entered Iranian waters by mistake and without hostile intent.