One of the 15 returned British personnel admitted Britain was gathering intelligence on Iran in the Persian Gulf, a previously unbroadcast interview reveals tonight.

Iran said tonight it hoped to resolve the seized British Navy personnel crisis using diplomacy and without putting the captives on trial.

Two of the 15 captured British sailors pointed to a map of the Persian Gulf and identified where they had been arrested 10 days ago on video clips aired by Iranian state-run television channels.