Iran says detained Britons well, location secret

IRAN: Iran says the British sailors it detained are well but has not disclosed where they are being held, Britain said on Monday, as tension over their capture and Tehran's nuclear plans sent oil prices to a 2007 high.

Naval Revolutionary Guards units seized the 15 sailors and marines in the Gulf on Friday, sparking a diplomatic crisis - just a day before the United Nations imposed new sanctions on Iran over its disputed atomic programme.

Britain asked Russia, which has close diplomatic and trade ties with Tehran, and other states to help secure their release.

It also summoned Iran's ambassador in London, Rasoul Movahedian, for the third time since the crisis began. Foreign Office Minister David Triesman had "a frank and clinical discussion" with him, the Foreign Office said.

"Lord Triesman underlined the seriousness of the situation and repeated the government's demands about the whereabouts of our personnel, the embassy's request for consular access and that they should be released immediately," the office said. Iran has said it is considering charging the Britons with illegally entering its waters. Vice Foreign Minister Mahdi Mostafavi said on Monday they were being interrogated to see if they had crossed into Iranian territory on purpose or not.

"When that is clear the appropriate decision will be made," Iranian state television cited Mostafavi as saying. Some hardline groups in Iran suggest the case could be a bargaining chip in its nuclear and other rows with the West, exposing what analysts said were divisions with more moderate voices who want to build bridges abroad, not exacerbate tension.

"It appears there is no decision on (how to handle) this issue," said one Iranian analyst, pointing to the relatively subdued coverage in Iran's media so far. A diplomat echoed this view. He said the incident did not appear pre-planned, so there was debate about what to do next.

Oil hit $63 on Monday, a new 2007 record, on the growing tension surrounding the world's fourth largest crude exporter.

Tehran, Tuesday, Reuters.