Iran Hostage Crisis Continues

Promised Release of Faye Turney Isn't Happening

In my previous article, Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Cancels Trip to United States and United Nations, I reported that Iran had captured 15 British Navy personnel and cancelled his trip to the United States and the United Nations. I also conjectured that maybe Ahmadinejad had instigated this capture to use the British hostages as bargaining chips with the United Nations to stop sanctions against Iran. As the days have passed, I believe this hypothesis is coming near to being proved.

Hostage Crisis Continues

Iranian television has released video footage of Faye Turney saying, "obviously we trespassed into their waters", a supposed acknowledgement of guilt. (YouTube Video Here) This video also contains footage of some of the British hostages eating and looking well, though not all fifteen of them could be seen. Even though the hostages look okay, we have no idea when this footage was taken. Nor do we know if the comments Faye Turney made were her own.

As of today, March 29, 2007, Iran still hasn't released the British hostages even though it had pledged to release the female hostage, Faye Turney. Instead, Gen. Ali Reza Afshar, Iran's military chief, said that her release has been suspended due to "wrong behavior" by the British government.

Fortunately, Britain, after marathon negotiations today, was able to convince the United Nations Security Council to issue a press release stating "grave concern" over the hostage situation and Iran's actions. Unfortunately, however, that is all they could get the United Nations Security Council to do. With both sides ratcheting up the rhetoric, there is no guessing what might happen in this situation.

Two Letters: Real or Fakes?

Two letters, supposedly written by Faye Turney, have been released to the media. One letter, yesterday, was to her family and said:

"Dear Mum & Dad,