http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?t...storyID=5473446
Iran Seizes Three British Vessels, 8 Crewmen
Mon Jun 21, 2004 11:35 AM ET
By Amir Paivar
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran seized three British naval boats on Monday, which it said had entered its waters near the Iraqi border, and arrested eight British crew.
While Tehran was deeply opposed to the U.S.-led war and occupation of Iraq, there has been little direct conflict up to now between the Shi'ite Muslim state and foreign forces along its western border.
The incident is likely to place further strain on Tehran's ties with London which last week joined other European nations in condemning Iran for being less than fully cooperative with inspectors from the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.
"This morning three British vessels with eight crew entered the Islamic Republic of Iran's waters and Iran's naval forces, acting on their legal duty, confiscated the vessels and arrested the crew," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said in a statement.