He considers the sanction and restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council unfair which will not stop his “great nation”. Moral values were the following thing he spoke about. Particularly, he stopped on the British government’s sending to Iraq “a woman and a mother” Fay Terny who was also captured by Iranians together with her 14 colleagues. The president of Iran considered that step of Toni Blair’s government reprehensible.
Besides, Ahmadinejad once more scolded the British management for pertinacity. He considers that British should have only apologized for their seamen’s getting into sovereign waters of Iran, instead of boosting a noisy campaign in press to discredit his country. Then, the Iranian leader complimented the frontier guards who detained the British for courage and selflessness and awarded their chief with honor medals. Unexpectedly the Iranian leader announced the news which broke off the tapes of the whole world agencies: 15 British seamen are forgiven and they will be released after the press conference. As Ahmadinejad said, that would be “a present” for the British people on occasion of the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday and coming Easter.
The whole world exhaled freely, that step of Iranian authorities was welcomed in the whole world capitals. However, the story with capture of British can still launch much more interesting news.
First of all, it remains unclear, whether the seamen broke the border or not. If they did, then the Iranian gesture of good will deserves to be praised. But Great Britain did not recognize its militaries’ crossing the border. Thus, from the point of view of London, Teheran did what it had been requested to do since the very beginning, and the seamen were “pickled” in Iranian captivity quite in vain. If it is found out that British are right (and they are to continue investigating the incident after the captives return home), then the whole that story will represent Iran in a very ambiguous light. The impression on the capture of seamen and followed amnesty may be represented as a grandiose PR-action.
Seamen were captured as Iran counted on an instant repentance of the British. When it did not follow, they started psychologically pressing on London: the captives were showed on TV and official figures in Teheran started speaking about possible trial at them. However, the British government did not become more obedient: Blair strongly rejected an opportunity to apologize for what, in his opinion, the seamen had not done. They started thinking in Teheran on not to really judge the seamen …
In fact the guilt of British, according to Iranian officials, was of no doubts, that is, they should, according to law, have sentenced them to death. And that would have already been an obvious overdo. For that reason, apparently, they decided to release the captives until the situation went too far. Especially, such a step would show the world, that there were people in Teheran neither cannibal but goodhearted ones capable to favor and sympathize.
Ahmadinejad’s press conference was also to squeeze maximal image dividends out of the game “in hostages” lost by Iran in general. Besides, Iranians know for certain, that at the height of crisis with hostages a heavy aircraft carrier “Nimitz” started in direction of their country from American San Diego port which will become already the third ship of a similar sort in the Persian Gulf. This circumstance should irritate Teheran that it, probably, also promoted to “pardon” British. Anyway, the seamen are already free, undoubtedly, they are also glad as well as their relatives.
But continued investigation of circumstances of their capture and staying in Iranian captivity may bring many distressing moments for Teheran.
And “Nimitz” is not going back.

Ivan Jakovina
Obozrevatel (observer) “lenta.ru”