President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday again called for Britain to apologise after 15 British sailors were seized by Iran in the Gulf, the state news agency IRNA reported.
Iran on Saturday again warned Britain against politicising the seizure of its 15 navy personnel, although it gave a cautious welcome to a diplomatic exchange with London on the crisis.
The warning from Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki came as a senior Iranian diplomat said legal proceedings had begun against the sailors and marines for illegally entering Iranian waters but denied reports of a trial.
"British leaders should avoid media storms and politicisation to prevent a further complication of the affair," Iranian media quoted Mottaki as telling his Australian counterpart, Alexander Downer, in a telephone conversation.
The Iranian foreign ministry said a British diplomatic note it had received over the seizure of 15 sailors "could be examined," but that Tehran awaited a "balanced" attitude from London. "In this note there are different points which could be examined," it said of the note it had received from London in response to its formal protest over the sailors' alleged illegal entry into Iranian territorial waters.
"We are awaiting a correction of attitude on Britain's part," the ministry said. With the showdown in its second week, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again called for Britain to apologise, the state news agency IRNA reported.
"The arrogant issue statements and issue demands against the Iranian people, instead of apologising and expressing regret over the British sailors entering Iranian waters," he said.