Reuters: The Iranian embassy in London released a second letter on Thursday it said was from British woman captive Faye Turney in which she called on Britain to start withdrawing its troops from Iraq. LONDON (Reuters) – The Iranian embassy in London released a second letter on Thursday it said was from British woman captive Faye Turney in which she called on Britain to start withdrawing its troops from Iraq.
“Isn’t it time for us to start withdrawing our forces from Iraq and let them determine their own future?” said the letter, addressed to the British parliament and faxed to Reuters from the Iranian embassy.
Turney is the only woman among 15 British sailors and marines seized last week by Iranian forces. Britain insists they were in Iraqi waters in the Gulf but Tehran says they were trespassing in Iranian waters.
Iran had indicated it was prepared to release Turney, but this was put on hold on Thursday.
Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted military commander Alireza Afshar saying Britain must apologise for entering Iran’s waters and promise it would not happen again.
“The release of a female British soldier has been suspended,” he was quoted as saying. “The wrong behaviour of those who live in London caused the suspension.”
In the letter, whose authenticity could not immediately be confirmed, Turney said her group was in Iranian waters.
“Unfortunately during the course of our mission we entered into Iranian waters,” the letter said. “Even through our wrongdoing, they have still treated us well and humanely, (for) which I am and always will be eternally grateful.”
She added “the Iranian people are kind, considerate, warm, compassionate and very hospitable.
“They have brought me no harm, but have looked after me well. I have been fed, clothed and well cared for.”
The somewhat stilted language of the letter led some linguistic experts to suggest the text may have been written originally in Farsi and then translated into English.
The letter also appeared to refer to a similar incident in 2004, when a group of eight British service members were held by Iran for three days before being released.
“I ask the representatives of the House of Commons after the government had promised that this type of incident would not happen again why have they let this occur and why has the government not been questioned over this?,” the letter said.
Turney was shown on Iranian television on Wednesday, saying in an interview that her group had trespassed in Iraqi waters. A letter apparently from her, released on Wednesday, also said the Britons had gone into Iraqi waters.
