Hopes rise for captured personnel

Hopes are rising for the safety of 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran last Friday.

The British Government called the Iranian ambassador to a second meeting to repeat demands for the service personnel to be released immediately.

Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman also requested consular access to them during his meeting with the ambassador, Rasoul Movahedian.

The 45-minute discussion, in which Lord Triesman repeated the Government's stance that the sailors were in Iraqi waters when they were seized, was "frank and clinical", a Foreign Office spokesman said.

Earlier, Defence Secretary Des Browne told MPs that the Government was doing "everything possible" to secure the group's release.

He spoke after Iran said it may allow UK officials to meet the captives once an investigation has been carried out.

It is the first apparent concession since the crew members were seized at gunpoint off the coast of Iraq.

The eight sailors and seven Marines - including one woman - from the Type 22 frigate HMS Cornwall were carrying out a routine search of a large cargo which they suspected of smuggling.

Tehran insists they had strayed into Iranian waters - a claim denied by the Ministry of Defence.

The Foreign Office said Iran has promised that the 15 British personnel are "fit and well".

The Islamic republic's foreign ministry told British ambassador Geoffrey Adams at a meeting that it was working to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

A Foreign Office spokesman described the hour-long meeting as "business-like", with the ambassador pressing for details of where the detainees were being held.

He also demanded consular access to them and details of Iran's plans for their release.

"The foreign ministry assured us that the group were fit and well and in Iran, but gave no further details at this stage," the spokesman said.

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