UK studies Iran diplomacy 'offer'

The UK says it is seeking more details from Iran after a senior official called for a diplomatic solution to the crisis over the captured navy crew.

Ali Larijani, of the Supreme National Security Council, said putting on trial the 15 Royal Navy personnel, held since 23 March, was not Tehran's priority.

The Foreign Office said it was studying his remarks, made to Channel 4 News.

But officials said they shared Mr Larijani's "desire to make early progress" and would respond later.

A Foreign Office statement said: "There remain some differences between us, but we can confirm we share [Mr Larijani's] preference for early bilateral discussions to find a diplomatic solution to this problem."

Mr Larijani, who is Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and head of the powerful security council, also called on the UK government to send a delegation to Iran to discuss the case.

But speaking through an interpreter, he insisted the Iranians were "100%" sure of their version of events and warned the "language of force" from the UK and its international allies was causing problems.

"Definitely our priority would not be trial, except that the UK government would be insisting on not solving the problem through diplomatic channels," he said.

"Our priority is to solve the problem through diplomatic channels. We are not interested in having this issue get further complicated."

He said the sailors and marines had been in Iranian territorial waters when captured in the northern Gulf on 23 March and "a guarantee must be given that such violations will not be repeated".

The UK insists they were in Iraqi waters after returning from searching a merchant vessel.

British shadow foreign secretary William Hague warned that the situation "requires renewed patience and the calm".

"We shouldn't get over-excited about an occasional positive signal. We shouldn't get overly depressed about an occasional negative signal," he said.

It is understood that one area that has been under discussion between the UK and Iran is how future disputes over the contested waters may be avoided.

Earlier on Monday, Iran said all 15 personnel had been filmed admitting they were in Iranian territorial waters at the time of capture by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

However, Iranian state radio said the new footage would not be broadcast on TV because of "positive changes" in the UK's stance.

Previously unseen images of some of the crew, based on HMS Cornwall, were aired on Monday but their voices could not be heard.

One of those seen for the first time was 20-year-old Arthur Batchelor, whose sister told the BBC she was relieved to see him looking "tired but fine".

"It gave us a bit more reassurance," said Maggie Phillips, who lives in Plymouth.

The Foreign Office is standing by its view that the crew, serving on HMS Cornwall, which is based in Plymouth, were detained against their will in Iraqi territory.

"We have not had consular access, we have made it quite clear they were seized in Iraqi waters, and we want them released," a spokesman said.

So far, Iranian TV has shown footage of four of the crew making statements in which they said they had been in Iranian waters.

The Foreign Office has said showing the group on TV is "unacceptable" and it had "grave concerns" over the circumstances under which any statements were made.