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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Iran 'to release British sailors' </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>Mahmoud Ahmadinejad awarded medals to Iranian commanders</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf will be freed.
He repeated allegations that the British sailors and marines "invaded" Iranian waters, but said they would be freed as a "gift" to Britain.
He made the announcement at a news conference, in which he also awarded medals to the commanders who captured the British personnel in the Gulf.
He said the Britons would be released immediately and taken to an airport.
"They are free after this meeting and can go back to their families," Mr Ahmadinejad said.
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The British government was not even brave enough to tell their people the truth 
<BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV>Mahmoud Ahmadinejad </DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"I'm asking Mr Blair to not put these 15 personnel on trial because they admitted they came to Iranian territorial water," he said, referring to taped "confessions" made by the British sailors and marines.
"I ask Mr Blair: Instead of occupying the other countries, I ask Mr Blair to think about the justice, to think about the truth and work for the British people not for himself."
Britain says the 15 were in Iraqi waters under a UN mandate when they were captured nearly two weeks ago. It says the confessions were extracted under duress.
"Unfortunately the British government was not even brave enough to tell their people the truth, that it made a mistake," Mr Ahmadinejad said.
"We have every right to put these people on trial," he asserted.
"But I want to give them as a present to the British people to say they are all free."
A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "We welcome what the president has said about the release of our 15 personnel. We are now establishing exactly what this means in terms of the method and timing of their release." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<DIV class=cap>Mahmoud Ahmadinejad awarded medals to Iranian commanders</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf will be freed. He repeated allegations that the British sailors and marines "invaded" Iranian waters, but said they would be freed as a "gift" to Britain.
He made the announcement at a news conference, in which he also awarded medals to the commanders who captured the British personnel in the Gulf.
He said the Britons would be released immediately and taken to an airport.
"They are free after this meeting and can go back to their families," Mr Ahmadinejad said.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibtbg><DIV><DIV class=mva> The British government was not even brave enough to tell their people the truth <BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV>Mahmoud Ahmadinejad </DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>"I'm asking Mr Blair to not put these 15 personnel on trial because they admitted they came to Iranian territorial water," he said, referring to taped "confessions" made by the British sailors and marines.
"I ask Mr Blair: Instead of occupying the other countries, I ask Mr Blair to think about the justice, to think about the truth and work for the British people not for himself."
Britain says the 15 were in Iraqi waters under a UN mandate when they were captured nearly two weeks ago. It says the confessions were extracted under duress.
"Unfortunately the British government was not even brave enough to tell their people the truth, that it made a mistake," Mr Ahmadinejad said.
"We have every right to put these people on trial," he asserted.
"But I want to give them as a present to the British people to say they are all free."
A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "We welcome what the president has said about the release of our 15 personnel. We are now establishing exactly what this means in terms of the method and timing of their release." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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