Detained Britons well, in secret location - Iran

Iran says the British sailors it detained are well but has not disclosed where they are being held, Britain said yesterday, as tension over their capture and Tehran's nuclear plans sent oil prices to a 2007 high.

Naval Revolutionary Guards units seized the 15 sailors and marines in the Gulf on Friday, sparking a diplomatic crisis - just a day before the UN imposed new sanctions on Iran over its disputed atomic programme.

Britain asked Russia, which has close diplomatic and trade ties with Tehran, and other states to help secure their release.

It also summoned Iran's ambassador in London, Rasoul Movahedian, for the third time since the crisis began. Foreign Office Minister David Triesman had "a frank and clinical discussion" with him, the Foreign Office said.

"Lord Triesman underlined the seriousness of the situation and repeated the government's demands about the whereabouts of our personnel, the embassy's request for consular access and that they should be released immediately," the office said.

Iran has said it is considering charging the Britons with illegally entering its waters. Vice Foreign Minister Mahdi Mostafavi said yesterday they were being interrogated to see if they had crossed into Iranian territory on purpose or not. "When that is clear the appropriate decision will be made," Iranian state television cited Mr Mostafavi as saying.

Some hardline groups in Iran suggest the case could be a bargaining chip in its nuclear and other rows with the West, exposing what analysts said were divisions with more moderate voices who want to build bridges abroad, not exacerbate tension.

"It appears there is no decision on (how to handle) this issue," said one Iranian analyst, pointing to the relatively subdued coverage in Iran's media so far.

A diplomat echoed this view. He said the incident did not appear pre-planned, so there was debate about what to do next.

Oil hit $63 yesterday, a new 2007 record, on the growing tension surrounding the world's fourth largest crude exporter.

Britain's ambassador to Tehran asked to see a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official for details of the 15 and to be allowed to see them, the Foreign Office said.

The official "assured him the group were fit and well and in Iran. He gave no further details at this stage," it said.

Iraq also urged Iran to free the Britons, saying they were detained in its waters, as London says.

London says the two boatloads of Royal Navy personnel were searching a merchant vessel on a UN-approved mission in Iraqi waters when Iranian gunboats encircled and captured them.

Iran captured eight British servicemen in similar circumstances in 2004 and released them after three nights.

On Saturday, the UN Security Council slapped arms and financial sanctions on Iran for its refusal to suspend nuclear work, but major powers also offered new talks and renewed an economic and technological incentive package offer.

The West suspects Iran is seeking to make nuclear bombs, a charge Tehran denies. Russia has helped water down international sanctions on Iran but still voted in favour of them.

It is helping build Iran's first nuclear power plant at Bushehr and supplying fuel for it, and said yesterday Iran had restarted scheduled payments after a row over arrears that strained Tehran's relations with its closest big-power ally. The new sanctions - following measures adopted in December - will stay in place until Iran halts the enrichment of uranium, which can be used to make a bomb or to generate power.