Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. March 24, 2007 Iranian Official: British Naval Detainees Admit to Illegally Entering --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iranian Waters -------------- http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16C79E7:A6F02AD83191E16046966028E06890A19574F7DCC14957C0 Iran's Navy detained crew Friday after British conducted routine inspection of merchant ship in disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq British soldiers of the the 73rd Armoured Engineer Squadron, Boat Section, patrol the Shatt al-Arab waterway the outskirts of Basra, southern Iraq in this 23 Jan 2005, file photo An Iranian military commander says 15 British Navy personnel in Iran's custody have admitted to illegally entering Iranian waters. In interviews with Iranian media Saturday, General Ali Reza Afshar said the British detainees offered "confessions during interrogations." He said they agreed they were in Iranian territory when they were seized. The general said interrogations are continuing in Tehran, and that the 15 Royal sailors and marines are in good health. Iran's Navy detained the crew Friday after the British conducted a routine inspection of a merchant ship in the disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq. Iranian officials say there is proof that the crew knew they were in Iranian waters, and call it an "aggressive action." Britain insists its Navy was conducting routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi waters, and it has demanded the immediate and safe return of all 15 detainees. Western media reports say the two countries are communicating through diplomatic channels. A U.S. Navy spokeswoman, Lieutenant Kaye Trammell, in Bahrain said Friday the British forces were operating well inside observed Iraqi territorial waters. Three years ago, Iranian forces seized six British marines and two sailors in the same area. They were released three days later. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters. .