15 British sailors head for London

VIDEO - The 15 British military personnel released by Iran on Wednesday boarded a plane bound for London, ending a two-week standoff between the British government and the Islamic Republic. Iran said it released the sailors as a "gift" to the people of Britain in a dramatic end to an ordeal that raised international tension and rattles financial markets. As relatives and friends popped champagne corks in Britain, the naval personnel were seen on state television chatting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after his surprise announcement of their release. "Although Iran has the right to prosecute them by following the model of the prophet the 15 people were pardoned and their freedom given as a gift to the British people," Ahmadinejad said at a Tehran press conference. The announcement was welcomed by Britain and governments across the world as well as joyous relatives of the captives, some of whom had been paraded on state television "confessing" to trespassing in Iranian waters. An Ahmadinejad aide said the 14 men and one woman were currently at the foreign ministry and would be handed over to the British embassy on Thursday and then fly out of Tehran. British Navy crew members in Tehran (photo: Reuters) Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity, was quoted by state news agency IRNA as saying they would fly out of Tehran at 8:00 am (0430 GMT). The eight sailors and seven marines, all in their 20s, were seized at gunpoint while patrolling the northern Gulf between Iran and Iraq on March 23. British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed their release and thanked "our friends and allies in the region who played their part" amid unconfirmed reports that Syria and Qatar had helped bring about a peaceful resolution. 'We are grateful for your forgiveness' He said Britain, which took the issue to the UN Security Council last week, had taken a "firm but calm" approach, "not negotiating but not confronting either". The families of the detainees erupted in joy and relief at the news, which came after 13 days of a sometimes heated propaganda war. "We've been absolutely devastated these last 13 days, it's been the longest of my life. I'm just so happy today," said April Rawsthorne, grandmother of 21-year-old Nathan Summers, clutching a bottle of champagne. Iranian state media said the 15 had "shouted for joy" on news of their release. "We are grateful for your forgiveness," one sailor was heard telling Ahmadinejad, who in turn wished them good luck. The men were wearing suits while the sole woman captive, Faye Turney, was in trousers and a headscarf. The standoff had further damaged ties between Tehran and the West already frayed by Iran's controversial nuclear program, and had sent jitters through world oil and financial markets. Oil prices had surged to near seven month highs on fears Iran could disrupt supplies and fell on news of the release. 'Today we have no objection to relations' However, Iran's hard-line president -- who saved his dramatic announcement until nearly the end of the press conference -- still lashed out at Britain over its handling of the crisis and decorated a Revolutionary Guards officer who commanded the operation in which the Britons were seized. "The British government, in a letter, has vowed not to repeat such incidents. But this release is not linked to this letter. It is due to Islamic goodwill," he said. His announcement came after Iran had applauded a "change of tone" from Britain following talks between top security official Ali Larijani and Blair's chief foreign policy advisor Sir Nigel Sheinwald on Tuesday. Syria -- Iran's top ally in the region -- had announced it was mediating in the crisis after a call from Sheinwald. Iran had insisted the key to resolving the crisis was an admission from Britain that the sailors and marines violated its territorial waters. Britain maintains the group was carrying out routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi waters in line with a UN mandate, but Iran says the sailors' Global Positioning System (GPS) devices show they intruded on Iranian waters. Wednesday's development followed the release in Baghdad of an Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Iraq in February in an abduction Tehran had blamed on US forces. Iranian state media also said five Iranian officials captured by US forces in northern Iraq in January accused of stoking unrest were expected to receive their first visit by an Iranian diplomat. US President George W. Bush welcomed the release of the Britons but Washington denied any link to the sudden granting of consular access to the five Iranians held in Iraq. The crisis had come at a perilous time for Iran's relations with the West, with the United States refusing to rule out military action over its nuclear drive and the United Nations imposing tough new sanctions. Ahmadinejad repeated that Iran was ready to negotiate with the United States but only if Washington changes its stance. "Today we have no objection to relations but this requires US action," he said. The United States has said it will talk to Iran but only if the Islamic republic suspends uranium enrichment -- a process at the centre of Western fears Tehran may be trying to build an atomic bomb. Despite tougher UN sanctions, Iran has vehemently refused to freeze enrichment and says is nuclear work is for peaceful purposes. In June 2004, Iranian forces seized eight British servicemen in a similar area of the Gulf and released them three days later.

15 British sailors head for London

(VIDEO) As relatives and friends pop champagne corks in Britain, naval personnel seen on state television chatting with Ahmadinejad after his surprise announcement of their release; unconfirmed reports say Syria, Qatar helped bring about peaceful resolution