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Iranian's release suggests swap

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 4, 2007

LONDON - Britain called for direct talks with Iran over 15 captive Britons on Tuesday after speaking for the first time with the chief Iranian negotiator. The announcement followed the sudden release of an Iranian diplomat in Iraq that raised new hope in resolving the standoff.

In a statement late Tuesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair's Downing Street office said "both sides share a desire for an early resolution to this issue through direct talks."

Hours after Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett cautioned against expecting a swift resolution to the crisis, Downing Street struck an upbeat note, announcing there had been "further contacts" between the two countries, including with chief negotiator Ali Larijani.

Iran maintains the British sailors and marines had encroached on Iranian territory when they were seized by naval units of the Revolutionary Guards on March 23. Britain insists its sailors and marines were in Iraqi waters and has demanded their unconditional release.

Blair said earlier Tuesday that the next 48 hours would be "fairly critical" to resolving the standoff over the British personnel.

Also Tuesday, Iranian diplomat Jalal Sharafi arrived in Tehran, hours after he was freed by his captors in Iraq, officials said. He was seized Feb. 4 by uniformed gunmen in Karradah, a Shiite-controlled district of Baghdad.

His release also suggests the standoff over the captive Britons may end with a prisoner swap - something both Tehran and London have publicly discounted.

In Washington, President Bush signaled the same. "I also strongly support the prime minister's declaration that there should be no quid pro quos when it comes to the hostages," Bush said.

Iran alleged the diplomat had been abducted by an Iraqi military unit commanded by U.S. forces, a charge repeated by several Iraqi Shiite lawmakers. U.S. authorities denied any role in his disappearance, which came a month after the U.S. military arrested five other Iranians in northern Iraq.

Sharafi was involved in plans to open a branch of the Iranian national bank in Iraq.

[Last modified April 4, 2007, 01:29:35]