Leading Seaman Faye Turney appeared on Iranian television in civilian dress to tell the world she and her colleagues had "trespassed" into Iranian waters.
Her eyes downcast and forehead furrowed, in a monotone voice the mother said she had been treated well and that her captors were "nice people".
The brief series of clips also showed some of the 14 other British service personnel eating, still in uniform.
The broadcast triggered fears that the woman sailor had been coerced by Iran's Revolutionary Guards into speaking.
The British government immediately condemned the Iranian move, with Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, saying she had deep concerns.
Ldg Smn Turney, who was shown looking tense and at times smoking, said: "Obviously we trespassed into their waters. They were very friendly, very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people. They explained to us why we had been arrested, there was no aggression on their part."
Unlike a similar crisis in 2004, the sailors were not wearing blindfolds, but this may suggest Tehran plans to treat them as suspects rather than prisoners, with a view to putting them on trial.
Unusually, the images were broadcast on Iran's Arab- language channel, rather than state TV, which broadcasts in Farsi, the main language of Iran. Broadcasting in Arabic ensures that the film will be shown across the Middle East, portraying Iran as the victors over America's closest allies in homes from Baghdad to Beirut.
Fuelling fears there had been coercion of the hostages, the Iranian embassy released a letter, which it said was from Ldg Smn Turney to her parents. She wrote that the British crew had "apparently" strayed into Iranian territory, a less emphatic statement than her TV interview, in which she had said the crew had "obviously" transgressed the boundary in the Persian Gulf.
Mrs Beckett said: "I am very concerned about these pictures and any indication of pressure on or coercion of our personnel. I am particularly disappointed a private letter has been used in a way which can only add to the distress of the families."
Earlier, the Iranian foreign minister appeared to make assurances that Ldg Smn Turney, 26, would be released.
However, Manouchehr Mottaki last night claimed he had been "probably misquoted" over that promise but said Tehran had agreed to allow British officials to meet the 15 sailors and marines in Iranian custody.
"Measures are underway (to arrange meeting). They can meet them," he said.
Mr Mottaki did not specify when, adding: "First they have to admit that they have made a mistake."
British ministers ordered a suspension of all bilateral government business with Tehran.
The pressure on Iran intensified after Emyr Jones-Parry, the British ambassador to the United Nations, pledged to seek Security Council action. The timing is crucial as the UK will take over the presidency of the UN Security Council next week, a point emphasised yesterday by Tony Blair.
The Prime Minister threw down the gauntlet by disclosing that Iran changed its evidence to try to prove the British crew had been in Iranian waters during the sailors' seizure at gunpoint. It provided one set of co-ordinates but, when the British pointed out these were in Iraqi waters, another set was given.
Mr Blair said there was "no justification" for the sailors' detention. He added: "It was completely unacceptable, wrong and illegal.
It is time to ratchet up the diplomatic and international pressure to make sure the Iranian government understands their total isolation on this issue."
Defence chiefs also produced evidence showing the 15 sailors were captured in Iraqi waters. Both acts would be seen as embarrassing for Iran, leaving the regime increasingly isolated. However, Iran was emphatic the sailors had entered its territory.
Speaking before the interview with Ldg Smn Turney was aired, Mr Mottaki suggested for the first time that the Royal Navy party may have entered Iranian waters by mistake.
Downing Street last night made clear its disapproval of the broadcast and said such actions were against the Geneva and Vienna conventions on the treatment of prisoners.
Earlier, Vice-Admiral Charles Style, deputy chief of the defence staff, gave detailed co-ordinates which he said showed the party had been seized 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters. "It is hard to understand this change. We unambiguously contest both the positions provided by the Iranians," he said.
The boarding party from HMS Cornwall was seized after completing a routine search of an Indian-flagged cargo ship.
Vice-Admiral Style said the ship's master had confirmed his position was 29 degrees 50.36 minutes North, 048 degrees 43.08 minutes East, placing the vessel well within Iraqi waters, where it remained at anchor.
The Ministry of Defence also released a picture of a global positioning satellite device in HMS Cornwall's Lynx helicopter as it overflew the ship, confirming its position. Vice-Admiral Style said that coalition forces backed by the Iraqi navy had carried out 66 such boardings in the northern Gulf since March - four of them in the same area as the Royal Navy party were seized - without incident.
He said interviews with the Lynx crew, which was in the air at the time, and the master of the cargo ship indicated they had been "ambushed" by Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boats.
A senior officer said it had taken the two Iranian patrol boats - equipped with machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades - three minutes to reach them from the coast. In contrast, the boarding party had only SA80 assault rifles and sidearms.
Robert Phipps, a body language expert , last night said Lng Smn Turney's expressions in the broadcast revealed her true state of mind. Despite her insistence that she was being treated well, her mannerisms and words indicated a woman feeling pressurised and nervous, he said.
"The smile she gave was a fixed smile; it vanished as quickly as it appeared showing it wasn't genuine," he added.
"Her forehead was furrowed and it was like she had been told what to say."
'A BREACH OF CONVENTION'
PARADING hostages on television is a clear breach of the Geneva Convention - but it is questionable if the 15 sailors are covered by the law as Iran and Britain are not technically at war.
Paul Beaver, a defence analyst, said: "[The sailors] are being held without trial, have not been allowed consular access. We presume they have had access to medical provision.
"However, this is not an act of war, as we are not in the middle of a conflict with Iran. It doesn't really come under the convention."
He added that Iran had, in effect, carried out a criminal act by "kidnapping" the sailors.
Britain recoils - but 'gentle' images may offer hope of quick end to impasse
WATCHING a nervous young Faye Turney facing the cameras and the world, the overall impression I obtained was that the Iranians - or at least an element - were trying to find a way out of the impasse, writes CLIVE FAIRWEATHER.
Last night's TV depicting a demure, cigarette-smoking individual sporting a headscarf was a far cry from the brutal images we have often seen of captives in the Middle East, starting with the US diplomats held for 444 days in Tehran in 1980. Similarly, the battered faces of navigator John Nichol and pilot John Peters, shot down by Iraq in the first Gulf war, became an iconic image.
Last night's "gentle" images are an attempt by the Iranians to show they are more sophisticated and could mean that the affair need not be as long drawn-out as many have feared.
It seemed focusing on a young woman, complete with a heartfelt letter written by her to family at home, that the Iranians were studiously avoiding controversy. Faye herself was, I thought, making the best of a tricky situation. By co-operating in the way she has, she may have done as much, if not more, than Margaret Beckett to help ease tensions.
Even the admission in her letter that her party had "apparently" strayed into Iranian waters contains a get-out clause, which could be crucial.
That we are seeing such undemonstrative and "gentle" images augurs well, at this stage.
• Clive Fairweather, ex- second in command of the SAS, served as an adviser to Iranian forces in 1970
Comments
syntax, Edinburgh / 1:48am 29 Mar 2007
Tony Blair is weak and every country knows it.... There should have been a quick military response ! Get them out of there !!!
Maggie Thatcher wouldn't have wasted any time... Labour are crap. All spin and no substance !!
Angus Lindsay, Hong Kong / 1:52am 29 Mar 2007
We've seen it all before. It's the Islamic way. Human shields, hostages, "confessions". Achmadinnerjacket is a mischief-making, twisted, little creep whose downfall is as assured as that of all the tinpot dictators that preceded him.
Privateman, Anywhere but here / 11:02am 29 Mar 2007
If all the deskchair generals who inhabit this message board with their ludicrously over the top solutions were actually in charge of the military then God help us all.
#118 Who started this? Do you have any evidence whatsoever that that had anything to do with Iran?
The fact is Iran is well aware from its history that Britain has been poking its nose in the region since the 19th century (much longer ago than 9/11), first to prevent Tsarist Russia from having a sphere of influence in Persia and threatening Imperial India then, from the First World War onwards, to shore up our interests in the Suez canal and oil in the Middle East and their country. Remember we drew the borders of Iraq based on some ridiculous antiquarian view of Mesopotamia and a promise to give a kingdom to an Arab Sheikh? Recipe for future trouble. Remember Anglo-Persian Oil and its blatant exploitation of their resources? Remember we overthrew a government in Iran and installed the Shah because they sought to end that? Remember Suez (not supported by the USA)? Why doesn't it surprise you that they distrust us and our motives when we have a history of adventurism in the region? It was bad leadership by whoever allowed our servicemen to be so close to a water border inadequately defined which put them in such danger on an otherwise routine mission. May they come home safely and not be used by the blinkered, anti-Muslim lynch mob you all represent.
CindyUSA, USA / 3:43pm 29 Mar 2007
This business with Iran and the UK soldiers is so politics! I really think Iran is pushing their luck and wants war. Personally, I would appologize, kiss and makeup and get my kids home. The minute they are home is another matter. At that point I would make it clear the next time Iran moves in like that, we consider it an act of clear aggression and go from there.
I don't want another war with anyone, but Pulllleeeezzzzzzeeeee quit antagonizing the powers that be.
Iran is spitting in everyone's face and we are getting aggita over it. Get the kids out, say ur r sorry and then make it clear that we will not tolerate this type of behavior again.
Where is the NATO people?? Why isn't Russia, China, and Japan backing the UK. Why is it the US always has to be the ones to stand up for someone else's rights. I think the US and UK are the only ones with a "set" anymore. We are both always helping everyone else out and we get spit on, kicked and told GET OUT! These people are set on destroying themselves and I honestly don't get it.
Dougie Welsh, Canada / 4:14pm 29 Mar 2007
The Iran-Iraq region has been the "Cradle of Civilisation" for over 6000 years, and for over 6000 years, the peoples of the region have been fighting each other. They are not going to stop because WE think their system of life is wrong. It isn't wrong for them.
Our error lies in trying to make them into phony Brits and Yanks. They are not, and will never be! What they have done is follow ancient tradition to embarrass the leaders of their present enemies, as they have done for thousands of years. They have said "You can't teach us anything, you can't even protect your own soldiers!"
We need to do one of two things:
1. Pound them into the dust until they are no more than a distant memory and resettle the region with people who have a tradition of democracy.
or
2. Get the hell out NOW, and let them find their own solutions to post-Saddam life in the region. Even if that means standing by and watching as they kill each other by the millions.
Sooner or later, the survivors will stop shooting at each other and ask for our help. THEN, we might be able to save the remaining children.
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