Iraqi minister demands release of British sailors

Iraq’s foreign minister has demanded that Iran release 15 British sailors and marines, saying they had been detained in Iraqi waters and were operating with government consent.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari discussed the issue with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki yesterday and pointed out that Iraqi authorities believed the British troops were captured in Iraqi territorial waters and were operating with consent of US-led coalition forces and the Iraqi government in line with UN resolutions, according to a statement.