Iran denies British sailors mistreated, claims 'pressure'

TEHRAN - An advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied on Saturday that 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran had been mistreated, saying they had made such claims under pressure from their superiors.
"The mistreatment of the sailors is a lie," said Ali Akbar Javanfekr, top press spokesman for the president.
"The British authorities should know that they cannot keep hiding the truth from the British people," he said.
"We envisioned that the 15 sailors would be subjected to pressure by British security and intelligence forces. For that reason, President Ahmadinejad asked Prime Minister Tony Blair not to put pressure on the sailors for having told the truth, but (he) did not hear this humanitarian appeal, Javanfekr said.

04/07/2007 15:46 GMT