UN expresses concern over UK marines

“Members of the Security Council expressed grave concern at the capture by the Revolutionary Guard and the continuing detention by the government of Iran of 15 United Kingdom naval personnel and appealed to the government of Iran to allow consular access in terms of the related international laws,” the statement said.

Ambassador Dumisani S. Kumalo of South Africa, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, said members supported calls for “an early resolution of this problem, including the release of the 15 UK personnel.”

Earlier today in Riyadh, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was attending the Summit of the League of Arab States, discussed the detention of the British sailors as well as Iran’s nuclear programme during bilateral talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Motaki.

Ban “expressed his wish to see an early resolution” and also urged Iran to comply in full with all Security Council resolutions.

Pak to support Iran’s bid for observer status in SAARC

Islamabad: Close on the heels of India favouring Iran’s association with SAARC, Pakistan has said it will support Tehran’s bid for observer status in the South Asian grouping. “Pakistan will certainly welcome Iran’s request for observer status in SAARC and support it,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said. Iran’s case will be discussed by the SAARC foreign secretaries over the weekend and it will also be taken up by the foreign ministers when they meet next week to finalise the agenda for the two-day summit starting April 3, the official was quoted as saying by the daily Dawn.