Reuters – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will on Wednesday discuss the 15 British sailors and marines detained by his country, state television said, after his planned news conference was postponed by 24 hours.
Tehran and London have been at loggerheads since Iran seized the Britons on March 23, saying they had illegally entered Iranian waters. Britain insists they were in Iraqi waters on a routine U.N. mission in the northern Gulf.
"The president will explain Iran’s view on … the British forces’ illegal entry into Iranian waters and the British government’s adopted policy regarding the issue," state television said.
The news conference was scheduled for Tuesday but it was put back "based on journalists’ request", Iran’s Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry said in a statement.
Iran and Britain have said they want bilateral talks to resolve the issue of the sailors.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Tuesday the way was open for diplomatic efforts to secure their, and the next 48 hours would be critical.
Iran’s First Vice President Parviz Davoudi reiterated on Tuesday that the row could be resolved soon if London continued its "changed behaviour" and accepted its sailors and marines had entered Iran illegally.
