5 April 2007
Tony Blair has spoken of his joy about the return home of the British service personnel.
The 15 sailors and marines held by Iran for almost two weeks arrived at Heathrow Airport around lunchtime.
Mr Blair, speaking to reporters in Downing Street as the plane landed, welcomed their return while warning Iran that the international community could not accept their support of terrorism.
The Britons were seized while conducting a routine early morning anti-smuggling check on a merchant vessel in the Gulf on March 23.
Yesterday, the PM insisted that the UK had adopted a “firm, calm, measured” approach throughout the situation, “not negotiating but not confronting”.
He said today there were “elements of the Iranian regime” that were “financing, arming and supporting terrorism in Iraq”.
His comments came as four British soldiers were killed by a roadside explosion near Basra, southern Iraq. Mr Blair paid tribute to their bravery, adding:
“Just as we rejoice at the return of our 15 personnel, so today we also grieve and mourn for the loss of our soldiers in Basra who were killed as a result of a terrorist act.”
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