British marines thank Iran, head home
Tehran, 2007/04/05, IRIB
The 15 British marines and sailors, who had been detained in Iranian territorial waters on March 23, left Iran for their home country, while thanking Iran for their release.
"I am thankful to the Iranian government for releasing me," said the only female sailor, Faye Turney, in the 15-member group of the British marines in an exclusive interview with IRNA upon leaving Iran Thursday morning.
Asked about her feeling as a mother upon departure, Mrs. Turney said she was happy that she would see her baby daughter and family.
She said that while in Iran she and other members of the group had been treated well and humanely.
"(We have been treated) humanely. They (Iranians) treated us well," said Turney.
Also asked whether she would visit Iran once again after returning home, Turney said, "Under different circumstances yes I would; As a tourist."
Other British sailors and marines, including the 21-year-old royal navy sailor Nathan Summers and their commander, were pleased with Iran's hospitality and thanked Iran for releasing them.
The sailors and marines arrived at Tehran's Mehrabad airport aboard two minibuses escorted by police and were flown back home at 8:00 AM local time (04:30 GMT) on a scheduled British Airways flight for London.
Before leaving Tehran, the released British marines received presents from the Iranian President and the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC).
The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced Wednesday the release of the arrested British marines, who had illegally entered Iranian territorial waters on March 23, at a news conference, saying it was a present from the Iranian nation to British people.
The Chief Executive stressed that the British detainees were pardoned by the Iranian nation and the ruling system.
The amnesty was granted on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of the Messenger of God, Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the upcoming Christian Easter feast.
Mighty Iran has pardoned the British military personnel as a gift to the British people, although it had the right to try them, said the President.
"I do advise British Prime Minister Tony Blair not to prosecute the servicemen on charges of telling truth and realities," President Ahmadinejad urged.
"I do advise Tony Blair to administer justice and promote peace and ethics and serve the British people instead of proliferating nuclear weapons," he added.
Following the news of their release, the 15 British marines voiced their gratitude to the Iranian President, government and nations for their freedom.
Based on information obtained from the British Global Positioning System (gps), the British servicemen trespassed into Iran's territorial waters on the Arvand River aboard two navy vessels on March 23.
All arrested British servicemen had confessed to having violated Iran's territorial waters and extended their apologies to the Iranian nation.
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