Bush fully backs Britain in Crisis with Iran
By Khalida Mazhar 'Pakistan Times' US Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON (US): US President George W. Bush fully backs British Prime Minister Tony Blair over the crisis with Iran which seized 15 British naval personnel nearly a week ago, the White House said Wednesday.

Bush held a secured video teleconference with Blair on Wednesday at which he said he "fully backs" the British leader in the affair, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Britain on Wednesday froze official contacts with Iran in the escalating dispute as Tehran said it would soon release the only woman among the group, which it has maintained was captured after entering Iranian waters.

The two men spoke "on a variety of topics including this one. The president fully backs Tony Blair and our allies in Britain," Perino said, adding the videoconference had been programmed before the 15 sailors and marines were seized.

Amid mounting tensions, fuelled by US navy exercises in the Gulf, Blair has vowed to "ratchet up" pressure on the Islamic republic.

Britain has unveiled evidence that it said showed servicewoman Faye Turney, seven other sailors and seven marines were in Iraqi waters when detained last Friday.

Iran again rejected this and played down Britain's decision to freeze contacts with Tehran, saying ties were already "cold and inactive," the official news agency quoted a foreign ministry source as saying.

Recap

An earlier report from London said that Britain on Wednesday froze all contacts with Iran as a dispute over 15 detained sailors intensified with Prime Minister Tony Blair vowing to step up pressure on the Islamic Republic.

Britain produced evidence which it said proved that the sailors and marines were in Iraqi waters when detained last Friday in the Gulf. Iran insisted the Britons were in its territory.

A few minutes before, Blair emphasised British determination in the dispute.

"It is now time to ratchet up the diplomatic and international pressure" on Tehran, Blair told parliament, adding that "there was no justification whatever" for the detention of the Britons.

"These personnel were patrolling in Iraqi waters under a United Nations mandate. Their boarding and checking of the Indian merchant vessel was routine. There was no justification whatever, therefore, for their detention," Blair told lawmakers.●