BBC: US rejects Iran captives exchange

[moodforaday]

In this, rather acrimonious, thread ("Iran is Wrong"):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x536760

a link was posted to an article claiming that the Iranians refused to exchange the 15 Brits for the Iranian officials the US snatched in January from the consulate in Irbil, Iraq. This would be evidence that the Iranian government is behaving irresponsibly:

IRAN: GOVERNMENT RULES OUT PRISONER SWAP FOR SEIZED BRITONS

Tehran, 26 March (AKI) - Teheran has no intention of freeing the 15 captive British sailors in exchange for the release of five officials from the Revolutionary Guard arrested in northern Iraq by US troops, Iran's deputy foreign minister said Monday, "The British military were arrested because they were trespassing in Iranian waters and will not to be swapped with our officials kidnapped by the Americans in Iraq," said Mehdi Mostafavi, speaking on Iranian state television.

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Security&loid=8.0.398980728&par=

Well, the BBC now says the exact opposite:

BBC NEWS | UK | US rejects Iran captives exchange

US officials have ruled out a deal to exchange 15 Royal Navy personnel captured in the Gulf for five Iranians seized by American forces in Iraq.

State department spokesman Sean McCormack rejected suggestions that an swap could be made.

The five, believed to be members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, were seized in January in the Iraqi city of Irbil.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6512927.stm

It sure takes two to play chicken. But it seems to me we'll soon be past the point where what's at stake is the lives and the freedom of 15 British soldiers.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. Kick and Recommend!!!!!! Today from CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/31/iran.uk.sailors/index.html?section=cnn_latest

U.S. rejects exchange of captives with Iran
POSTED: 5:30 a.m. EDT, March 31, 2007

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- U.S. officials say they have ruled out a possible deal to exchange the 15 British Royal Navy personnel captured by Iran for five Iranians held by U.S. forces in Iraq.

Reports that such a swap could take place were wrong, U.S. State department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters on Friday.

"The international community is not going to stand for the Iranian government trying to use this issue to distract the rest of the world from the situation in which Iran finds itself vis-a-vis its nuclear program," McCormack said.

[Leopolds Ghost]

4. Um, how is Iran using this issue to "distract from its nuclear program"??

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. Just another one of this lying administration's lies. eom

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

2. This reminds me of how they refused the Taliban's offer on Bin Laden and how

they refused to negotiate with Saddam Hussein.

This should not fall down the rabbit hole.

[Jcrowley]

3. K&R n/t