Captured sailors tell their story

The fifteen captured British sailors, released home yesterday by the Iranian authorities have been telling a rather different tale than the one shown on Iranian TV.

Questions were asked why they did not resist at the time of their arrest in the Persian Gulf. The response was that a fight would have been unwinnable, and would have left many of them dead.

Following their transfer into Iran, there was constant psychological pressure. They were told to admit to straying into Iranian waters, for fear of 7 years in jail. Rough handling is mentioned, as is solitary confinement. The female sailor was told that she was the only one left in prison, whilst the others had already gone home. More details here.

It goes without saying that we should be thankful that the 15 are now home, safe and well. As I said in comment to an entry on this matter by Cathy (luddie343)
the Iranian president played this out for as long as he could. He is a cunning operator, who we should be extremely wary of. The stories told by the British sailors however, shows the dark side of the Iranian regime. It is only kept in check by a moderate element within the government in Tehran, which appears to exert a fair amount of influence.

Whilst the alleged maltreatment of the sailors should be condemned, it is very important not to slam the door on the Iranians. A channel of communication was opened, one which should be used to exert a moderating influence. It also shows that quiet diplomacy works best in the Middle East, something I have repeated said in relation to the Middle East. Going in with guns blazing is NOT an option any more. This has given sustenance to extremist elements, like what we see in Iraq today.

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