/ 5 April 2007

Iranian newspapers gleeful over Britons’ release

Iranian newspapers wrote with glee on Thursday about the release of 15 British sailors and marines but some moderate dailies questioned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his handling of the issue.

Ahmadinejad announced on Wednesday the release of the Britons held since March 23 for what Tehran insists was a violation of its territory, a charge London denies. The Britons arrived back in England on Thursday.

The conservative Resalat daily called the whole affair ”a slap in the face” for ”those countries that think they can violate Iran’s territory”.

Other newspapers said the sailors were released only after a written message from London promising not to cross into Iranian territory.

”Britain gave guarantees, soldiers were released”, the hardline Jam-e Jam said on its front page.

Britain, which is viewed with a mixture of suspicion and respect in Iran, has stressed it made no apology to Iran.

But that did not stop papers from revelling in the outcome of its dispute with a country often referred to as the ”little Satan” or ”old fox” by hardliners by Iran.

”Iran pardoned British violators” and ”Britons freed, crisis defused”, other newspapers wrote alongside pictures of the smiling sailors preparing to head home.

The government-run Iran newspaper said Ahmadinejad’s announcement showed Iran had no intention to create tension but also that ”no country could flex its muscles to scare Iran”.

Iran and the West are at loggerheads over a nuclear programme that Washington says is designed to make bombs. Tehran denies this. The United States favours diplomacy to resolve the issue, but has not ruled out strikes if that fails.

Unpredictable

The pro-reform daily Etemad-e Melli welcomed the sailors’ release but said Ahmadinejad’s announcement was ”immature”, asking whether there was a proper decision-making process.

”It seems that Ahmadinejad wants to be known as an unpredictable president … Why did Iran wait so long to pardon the Britons? Is it because some want to prove they are unpredictable?” the daily wrote.

”When senior British officials offer Iran direct talks to resolve the issue … maybe Iran could get some concessions to resolve the problems the country faces.”

Ahmadinejad is not Iran’s most powerful figure, but analysts and critics say he has helped toughen Iranian policy and raised international anxiety with his anti-Western tirades, even though Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds ultimate authority.

”The release was a gift from the supreme leader to Ahmadinejad and made him the good cop,” said a political analyst, who asked not to be named.

Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that the release of the British sailors and marines was a ”gift” to the British nation.

Newspapers did not touch directly on the nuclear dispute, but political analyst Saeed Leylaz cast doubt on whether the release could help end Iran’s nuclear stand-off with the West.

”This will have absolutely no impact on … the nuclear issue. Our problem is America,” Leylaz said. – Reuters