More on the freeing of the sailors. “Iran president to free UK sailors,” from CNN, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has met with some of the 15 British military personnel held in Iranian custody for almost two weeks, shortly after pardoning the group and vowing to set them free.
Iranian state television showed footage of Ahmadinejad shaking hands, smiling and chatting with the detainees. One of the 15 was heard to comment in English: “We are grateful for your forgiveness.”
Ahmadinejad announced the amnesty at the end of a lengthy news conference on Wednesday in which he said the 15 detainees had violated Iran’s territorial waters, calling their release “a gift to the British people.”
“I declare that the people of Iran and the government of Iran — in full power to place on trial the military people — to give amnesty and pardon to these 15 people and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain,” Ahmadinejad told a news conference.
The action was a goodwill gesture for the Iranian new year, he said, adding that Iran had received a letter from Britain promising not to intrude into Iranian waters.
“The British government sent a letter to our Foreign Ministry and said it would not happen again. Of course, our decision had nothing to do with the letter. It’s a decision made by our government to give a gift to the people of Britain,” Ahmadinejad said in answer to a reporter’s question.
Just because the Thug-In-Chief has such a big heart.