British Navy personnel seized by Iran

Fifteen British Navy personnel have been taken captive by Iranian authorities. CNN broke the news at 12:18 GMT shortly after the BBC had brought a Live broadcast from the HMS Cornwall which was involved in the incident. According to reports, inflatable boats had been dispatched to investigate smuggling operations ‘in Iraqi waters’. A dispute occurred as to whether the navy personnel had breached Iranian waters and 15 British Navy personnel were taken prisoner by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The incident is said to have occurred near the Shatt al-Arab waterway, and comes on the back of war games being conducted by the Iranian Navy in the Persian Gulf [CCTV-9]. Only yesterday tougher sanctions were being sought against the Iranian regime over the country’s nuclear policy [BBC]. A BBC correspondent speaking from the HMS Cornwall said the Royal Navy were insisting they were operating in international waters. Meanwhile the Iranian Ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.