Iran is to free the 15 sailors and Royal Marines captured in the Gulf as a "gift" to the British people to mark the Easter season. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the announcement of their immediate release in the closing minutes of a press conference in Teheran today. After delivering a rambling denunciation of Anglo-American policy in the Middle East and a eulogy to Muslim values, Mr Ahmadinejad said: "I would like to give a present to the British people by releasing the military personnel." He said the party would be freed straight away and taken to Teheran airport, from where they are expected to be flown back to Britain. Mr Ahmadinejad noted that Easter is approaching, together with the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, and said that Iran was releasing the captives in the spirit of "forgiveness". A Downing Street spokesman said that the Prime Minister "welcomed" Iran's decision. "We are now establishing exactly what this means in terms of the method and timing of their release," he said. The family of one of the held Royal Marines has hailed the announcement as "the best present imaginable". Roy Cooper said he was grateful to everyone involved for getting his nephew Adam Sperry 22, home before Easter. "Whoever has been in the right or wrong, the whole thing has been a political mess, so let's just get them home," he said. The British party was captured in the northern waters of the Persian Gulf on March 23 and have now spent 13 days in custody. Earlier in today's press conference, Mr Ahmadinejad decorated the commander of the Revolutionary Guards who captured the British party, but the unnamed commander was given only the third class version of this accolade. Mr Ahmadinejad singled out the female British captive, Leading Seaman Faye Turney, 26, and said: "You will know that among the detainees there is one lady who is a mother of a child. Why is it that the most difficult work like patrolling at sea should be given to a woman? "Why is there no respect for motherhood? Why does the West not value its women?" The Iranian president also said he was "saddened" by Britain's violation of its borders and criticised Britain for not being brave enough to admit that it had made a mistake. | )
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