Iran Watch: Britain Must FIRST Admit “MISTAKE”

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki attends the opening ceremony of the Arab summit in Riyadh March 28, 2007.

AP: Iran: Britain Must Admit Navy Trespassed

Iran’s foreign minister said Wednesday that Britain must admit that its 15 sailors and marines entered Iranian waters in order to resolve a standoff over their capture by Iranian authorities.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s announcement came on a day of escalating tensions, highlighted by an Iranian video of the detained Britons that showed the only woman captive saying her group had “trespassed” in Iranian waters. Britain angrily denounced the video as unacceptable and froze most dealings with the mideast nation.

“First they have to admit that they have made a mistake. Admitting the mistake will facilitate a solution to the problem,” Mottaki told The Associated Press in an interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “But unfortunately the British have not admitted their mistake.”

And why would Britain admit to something that is not true?

This picture issued by the Britain’s Ministry of Defence illustrates documentary evidence presented by Britain that shows 15 British sailors and marines were inside Iraqi waters when they were captured by Iran.

This picture issued by the Britain’s Ministry of Defence shows the GPS location of the incident, as seen from a Royal Navy helicopter over the merchant vessel, as 15 British sailors and marines were captured by Iran. Britain on Wednesday froze official contacts with Iran in an escalating dispute over 15 detained naval personnel, as Tehran said it would soon release the only woman among the captives.

Mottaki also backed off a prediction that the female sailor, Faye Turney, could be freed Wednesday or Thursday, but said Tehran agreed to allow British officials to meet with service personnel.

His comments were the first confirmation that Iran agreed to a British request for a consular visit with the crew, though he did not specify when. Iran has not said where the 15 are being held.

“We have accepted that (the British request), there is no problem. Measures are underway (to arrange meeting.) They can meet them,” he said.

Ok, here is what the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Tony Blair should do ala Newt Gingrich on today’s Hugh Hewitt Show:

1. Tell Iran they could keep the fifteen hostages all the time they want, even though they are violating the 1949 Third Geneva Convention Article XIII regarding humiliating and degrading prisoners of war and that those responsible in the Iranian government would be charged later with War Crimes.

2. If Iran persisted in holding the prisoners that within one week Iran might discover that their oil refining capability, nuclear facilities, and one gasoline refinery might not work nor exist.

3. If Iran continued to hold the prisoners, that within a week the United Kingdom and the United States would enforce a blockade of all gasoline into Iran.

4. But, of course, if Iran simply admits they made a mistake in their GPS coordinates and expeditiously returns the fifteen prisoners, Iran might return to a mechanized society under United Nations sanctions .

Stay tuned…….