[spiritual_emergency]

<blockquote>
I'm sure this issue has been on some people's minds since this discussion which is why I thought it would be valid to note that a successful resolution has been reached.

<font size=4>British Sailors Fly Home</font>

TEHRAN (AFP) - Fifteen British sailors freed by Iran were flying home to London on Thursday, jubilant and relieved at the dramatic end to their two-week ordeal that had triggered a tense international standoff.

After being showered with traditional Iranian gifts, the group took off from Tehran on a British Airways flight 14 days after they were seized at gunpoint in the northern Gulf accused of violating Iranian territorial waters.

Their departure wrapped up a rapid succession of events that began when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday abruptly deflated the escalating diplomatic crisis by pardoning them as a "gift" to the British people.

"I was so happy that I was not able to sleep all night," said one of the commanders, Felix Carman, quoted on Iranian state television.

The 15 were delivered to the airport in a motorcade escorted by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and ushered into a VIP building amid high secrecy and security where British ambassador Geoffrey Adams saw them off.

Their flight is due to touch down around midday (1100 GMT) at London's Heathrown airport and they will be whisked off to a Royal Marines base for a debriefing.

Iranian television showed the sailors celebrating their release on Wednesday, shaking hands, laughing and embracing, but with only water to toast the end of their ordeal while the champagne corks popped at home.

Faye Turney -- the only woman -- waved to the camera and said "Teshakkor" -- "thank you" in Persian and said "(I) apologise for our actions."

In typically theatrical style, the hardline Ahmadinejad announced their release at a press conference on Wednesday which had largely been devoted to attacks on the West.

"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," declared Ahmadinejad, who was later seen chatting with the former prisoners in their first moments of freedom.

His announcement was welcomed by Britain and governments across the world as well as relatives of the captives, some of whom had been paraded on state television "confessing" to trespassing in Iranian waters.

The eight sailors and seven marines were seized at gunpoint while patrolling the northern Gulf on March 23 and Iran had long insisted the key to ending the crisis was a British admission they had violated its territorial waters.

The standoff had further damaged ties between Tehran and the West already frayed by Iran's controversial nuclear programme, and had sent jitters through world oil and financial markets.

Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed their release and thanked "our friends and allies in the region who played their part" amid reports Syria and Qatar helped bring about a peaceful resolution.

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".

Their release followed days of a propaganda war played out in the media but also behind-the scenes diplomacy, including key talks between top security official Ali Larijani and Blair's chief foreign policy advisor on Tuesday.

In London, the press said their liberation was a victory for old-fashioned diplomacy, but also questioned whether Britain had given up anything in return.

"Jaw-jaw is still far, far better than war-war," said The Independent.

Iran's press boasted that Tehran had won a commitment from Britain for their freedom, a reference to Ahmadinejad's claim -- not confirmed by London -- that the British government had promised in a letter not to repeat such incidents.

"The message of freedom, the humiliation of the powers," said Jaam-Jam, the newspaper of Iran's state broadcaster.

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.

And Ahmadinejad -- savouring his moment in the international spotlight -- still lashed out at Britain over its handling of the crisis and decorated a Revolutionary Guards commander who had seized the Britons.

US President George W. Bush welcomed the release of the Britons but Washington was at pains to deny any link to reports that five Iranians captured by US forces in Iraq in January would be granted their first consular access.

The crisis came 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.

Oil prices had surged to near seven month highs above 69 dollars over the standoff and were trading just below that level in London trading.

As the former captives left Tehran armed with gifts of pistachio nuts and other traditional items, and the men in new, slightly ill-fitting suits, their relatives at home erupted with joy.

"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.

Source: Yahoo News

i am very thankful for their release.

[katheryn]

thank you for posting about the britsh sailors, we have just heard they have just got back in to cornwall

woohoooooo yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh

so happy they are safe. my heart pounds for their families and friends

jinnyann xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox