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Despite Iran's aggressive and defiant stance in the negotiations over the 15 British sailors it holds hostage, Britain's Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has so far refused to get provoked.

Her latest plan reportedly is to send a senior Royal Navy captain or commodore to Tehran, as the British government's special envoy, who will deliver a public assurance which she hopes will get the hostages released.

The move has been discussed at a meeting of Whitehall's Cobra crisis committee. But Downing Street officials still caution against hopes of a speedy outcome, and have said that families of the hostages should be prepared for the "long haul".

They cite Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's continuing belligerent stand as an indication of his intentions. Ahmadinejad has said that Britain was being arrogant in not apologising, and has denounced its decision to approach the United Nations.

There is a noticeable air of urgency after Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Gholamreza Ansari announced that moves had begun to put the 15 British captives on trial. "Legal moves to determine the guilt of the British sailors have been launched," he told a Russian television channel. "If they are found guilty they will face punishment."
 
The support received from President George Bush and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has, however, come as a boost. President Bush on Saturday condemned Iran's "inexcusable behaviour" and added that he would "strongly support" the British government over the crisis. His call was echoed by Merkel who said Britain had the "full solidarity of the European Union".

A State department spokesman Sean McCormack rejected suggestions that a swap with five Iranian detainees at Guantamala Bay would be made, as demanded by Iran. The five are believed to be members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Beckett has also revealed that Britain had replied to a letter from the Iranian Embassy in London, sent on Thursday, which called on the Government to acknowledge that the sailors had trespassed into Iranian waters and affirm that it would not happen again. That however Britain is not prepared to do.

"We would never knowingly enter their waters without their permission, now or in the future. … We are not apologising, nor are we saying that we entered their waters in the first place. But it may offer a route out of the crisis," a top defence official said.

Email author: vdutt@aol.com