Lessons learned: Iran's release of British prisoners

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 'pardoned' the 15 sailors and marines Wednesday as an Easter 'gift.'

By Mark Rice-Oxley | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

from the April 5, 2007 edition

Page 1 of 3

LONDON - The lessons of 2004 worked again in 2007.

The release of 15 British naval personnel Wednesday, coming after several days of intensified negotiations, was welcomed in Britain as evidence that a "softly, softly" approach could prove effective with Iran – as it did in a similar prisoner crisis three years ago.

"This is vindication for the British diplomats, who came under a lot of criticism," says Ali Ansari, an Iran expert at London's Chatham house think tank. "Diplomacy worked. People should reflect on this: There are diplomatic options when we deal with Iran. It's a very salutary lesson."

After a 13-day standoff, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a press conference in Tehran and praised the Iranian Coast Guard who had "courageously defended" Iran's territorial waters. Then he "pardoned" the prisoners as an Easter gift to Britain.

Some saw it as a lesson with historical precedence. Earlier this week, Hodding Carter III, who was US undersecretary of State during the 1979-81 hostage crisis, said one of the conclusions to be drawn was that "when hostages are taken it's a very good time for governments to shut up."

"You're better off conducting diplomacy behind closed doors," he told BBC radio Monday. "You are far more likely to be able to affect something if you are not out there beating your chest and letting them beat their chest in return."

British diplomats had essentially been trying to do just that in recent days: working quietly to elaborate a formula that will enable both sides to emerge with no loss of face. Despite shrill calls from Americans such as former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, and from parts of the domestic press to act more robustly against Iran, Britain by and large pursued a diplomatic approach.

After almost two weeks of mutual recrimination, signs first emerged Monday that diplomacy was making headway.

Ali Larijani, Iran's influential national security council chief, said Monday Tehran wanted to resolve the issue diplomatically and did not want drawn-out "complications."

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page