[coldd]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/...eref=rss_world

Iran president to free UK sailors

Story Highlights
• Iranian President Ahmadinejad says 15 UK detainees to be pardoned and freed
• Downing Street welcomes remarks; 15 to be released to UK Embassy in Tehran
• Ahmadinejad commends bravery of border guards who detained the 15
• Ahmadinejad says 15 sailors and marines violated Iran's territorial waters


TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has pardoned 15 British military personnel being held in Iranian custody and vowed to set them free shortly.

"I declare that the people of Iran and the government of Iran -- in full power to place on trial the military people -- to give amnesty and pardon to these 15 people and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad told a news conference.

The action was a goodwill gesture for the Iranian new year which began last week, he said. An Iranian diplomat in London told The Associated Press that the 15 would be handed over to the British Embassy in Tehran.

"They will go through some brief formalities and then they will go to the embassy," he said.

A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the announcement: "We are now establishing exactly what this means in terms of the method and timing of their release."

Ahmadinejad said the 15 detainees had violated the country's territorial waters and praised the border guards who captured them, presenting their commander with a medal for bravery.

"I thank the border guards who bravely protect our borders and also arrested the violators, and I grant them the bravery medal to their commander," Ahmadinejad said.

Ahmadinejad was speaking after a senior Iranian official on Wednesday welcomed UK efforts to negotiate the release of the marines and sailors.

Iran's parliament speaker Gholamali Haddadadel told an Iranian state broadcaster's Web site that British efforts to negotiate the detainees' release were "appropriate."

"The British are trying to solve the issue of their arrested soldiers with negotiations and this is appropriate action," Haddadadel was quoted as saying.

But he added: "The British should agree to their mistake and change their behavior of before."

Haddadadel is considered an influential figure within Iran because of his connections with the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to whom he is related by marriage.

A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed late on Tuesday that diplomatic moves had been made towards Tehran. (Watch how tempers have cooled in diplomatic dispute Video)

Iran had insisted that Britain must admit its military personnel intruded into Iranian territorial waters and "guarantee this violation would not be committed again."

Britain insists the sailors and marines were well inside Iraqi waters when Iran captured them on March 23.

Iran had released several videos showing the 14 men and one woman in which they appeared to be in good health. Iran also released videotaped confessions from four of the sailors -- including the woman, Faye Turney. (Watch the two crew members describe their 'intrusion' Video)

Britain said the confessions were coerced and expressed its outrage at the videos' release.

The newest images, published Tuesday by the Iranian news agency Fars, show crew members talking in a group and playing a game.
Other developments

# A U.S. military official said Washington officials were considering a request made by Iran to allow Iranian representatives access to the five detained Iranians captured early January by U.S. forces during a military raid in northern Iraq. "The request has been made but nothing has been approved," the official told CNN on Wednesday. (Iraq pressing U.S. to release Iranians)

# Iranian officials in Kish Island said a U.S. inquiry into an American citizen who has been missing for several weeks in southern Iran was made for "political purposes," according to IRNA, Iran's state-run news agency.