British Sailors and Marines captured by Iran UPDATED

Fifteen British Sailors and Marines, from the frigate HMS Cornwall, were captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces in the Shatt Al Arab waterway. The Cornwall is in the area to enforce Security Council Resolution 1723, and prevent smuggling into Iraq.

The Brits insist that they were in Iraqi waters, not Iranian.

Mrs [Foreign Secretary Margaret] Beckett said: "We have asked for a full explanation on what has happened and we are leaving them in no doubt that we want the immediate and safe return of our personnel and their equipment.

She added: "We understand that they were in two boats that were operating in Iraqi waters in accordance with the Security Council Resolution 1723 in support of the government of Iraq to stop smuggling."

The foreign secretary said the incident has also been raised in Tehran through Britain's ambassador there.

Just a few days ago, Iran warned that it was going to strike back for recent U.S. 'kidnappings' of high-level Iranians.

The incident also comes as the UK is claiming that Iran is training and arming insurgents in Iraq that are killing British troops.

***UPDATED***: The Brits have apparently been taken to Tehran, and according to the Iranian military, were interrogated and have confessed to being in Iranian waters.

The Telegraph:

Last night Gen Alireza Afshar, spokesman for the Iranian general staff, said the 15 had been interrogated and had admitted they knew they were inside Iranian waters. He said data on their geographical positioning systems backed up the Iranian claims.

"They are currently being questioned and have admitted to violating the territorial waters of the Islamic republic," he said.

"We have solid evidence that they were detained in our territorial waters. They themselves have confessed and admitted their mistake."

The Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office both said the arrests were made in Iraqi waters, a version of events supported by an Iraqi fisherman who witnessed them. He said the Iraqi ship the British forces were searching had been anchored for a week or more and that Iraqi boats never ventured across because of tight security by Iranian coastguards.

The Iranians insist that they will put the Brits on trial for 'espionage', the penalty for which, in Iran, is death.

The fifteen Brits include eight Royal Navy sailors and seven Royal Marines, one of which is a woman.