Iran Frees British Sailors and Marines

Iran, in a fit of sanity, has released the 15 British sailors and marines it kidnapped in Iraqi waters, or detained in Iranian waters, a couple of weeks ago. The incident could have ended badly for everyone, but diplomacy worked. While the release of these individuals creates an opportunity for enhanced dialogue and further problem solving, there’s no reason to believe that any of the parties involved will take advantage of it. The incident was a fluke, and its resolution involved far too much happenstance for that.

First off, the capture of the sailors occurred when the mullahs who rule Iran were at their country houses celebrating a new year (no-rooz in Persian is the Zoroastrian New Year that started on March 21) that predates Islam in their nation. A few members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (their motto “taking western hostages since 1979”) grabbed the Brits to see what they could squeeze out of the West and out of the government. For the first few days, nothing happened as the people who could negotiate on behalf of Iran were not informed or saw no need to cut short their break. Once the celebrations ended, the governing officials came back and noticed there was nothing to be gained by holding them longer. A quick pardon, a medal ceremony for the hotheads, and everyone was happy again.

What was truly interesting was the negotiations began via the media. The BBC reported, “The decisive moment came with the intervention of Ali Larijani, a senior figure on Iran's National Security Council and the lead negotiator on the nuclear issue, into what had been until then an inconclusive, drawn-out, formal diplomatic exchange through embassies. He contacted Channel 4 News in London, whose staff met him during a visit to Iran a few months ago. He made it clear in an interview on Monday that Iran wanted a diplomatic solution . . . . Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow told British officials about the origin of the Larijani interview at a briefing for correspondents by the Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett on Tuesday. This appeared to galvanise British diplomats into contacting Mr Larijani themselves. That evening, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Tony Blair's foreign affairs private secretary, spoke to Mr Larijani by phone.”

Prime Minister Tony Blair had rattled the British saber only a little during this time. He talked about a critical 48 hours earlier this week, and he mentioned something about a different “phase” in the conflict. That was as far as he went. Some believe that he made a deal with Tehran, but that is unlikely. He certainly denied it, “There are no agreements about any Iranians that may be held in Iraq because they are being held in Iraq as a result of interference in the business of Iraq.”

For the jackbooted thug who happens to be Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, this was a golden PR opportunity, and he played it well. First, he pinned medals on the kidnappers, and then he announced that his government was giving the British people an Easter gift by releasing the hostages. Now, he looks like a patriot at home and a man of some compassion around the world. He’s only the former, but it would be churlish to point that out.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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