Todays papers have many conspiracy theorists all trying to spin their different approaches over who won or who lost the PR war and many had an obvious political agenda to pursue. I believe the truth is a lot simpler in that Iran had been waiting for an opportunity to hijack some of our people when they strayed close to or over a disputed border. The original intent must have been to exert maximum embarrassment against the architects of the war against Iraq knowing in Britain's case there was nothing we could do militarily. In that, they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams seeing Blair posturing and making ineffectual noises whilst they paraded our people on TV. What makes it even more galling for Blair is that many people believe he brought this on himself as well as seeing a group of young people virtually thanking their hosts. In the lies & spin war, the student has now beaten the master and still the delusional Blair doesn't really understand what happened here.

Mike, Denia, Spain

it was a reconcsince game from both sides which ended in deciving each other in preperation for the coming military conflict ,it showed an isolated iran while it demostrated resolve by the allies to confront if nesscecry ,this fact will always be avilable on hand to protect westren power intersts in the gulf region .

raad aziz khalil, Baghdad , Iraq

The Iranians and their supporters say they want respect from the world. They ooze resentment. But holding hostages at gunpoint and then releasing them is not likely to result in meaningful respect from anyone. If the Islamists could learn to control their overwhelming resentments, to act rationally, to develop their industries and their universities instead of their rhetoric, they could achieve real respect, and, perhaps, help the world live at peace.

Werner Cohn, New York, NY, USA

The whole thing has been a disaster for Britain. Our military have shown themselves to be fools, our diplomats bumbling buffoons and as for Blair - we should hang our heads in shame at how we have become the laughing stock of the world. In all this one might ask where were the Opposition - once again Lord Snooty and his Old Etonian chums have been asleep as yet another humiliation has been heaped on Blair's Britain

neil glass, london, uk

Stuff Iran's "gift", I'm still waiting for an apology for the kidnapping of UK service personnel while on UN-sanctioned business in Iraqi waters.

Matthew Salter, Tokyo,

Read the reports, Bronwen, and not just the headlines. Resolve what is fact and what is speculation and what is simply political spin. You'll quickly see, I think, that the answer is there. The Iranians want Britain, and everyone else, to respect what they consider to be their terrirorial waters and to stop violating them. Don't confuse Iranian government policy with the demands and chanting of students and extremists. The Iranians never linked the arrest of the 15 mariners with any other issue, other than previous violations by the RN of its territorial waters. That is why senior RN officers were required to discuss the issue, and it may well be that that is what they have an agreement on. Of course Tony Blair would never admit such a thing. As for British diplomacy, well, it only started to make sense when the PM stopped his arrogant demands for Iran to release the captives immediately. That line was clearly never going to achieve anything was it.
Ahmadinejad 10 : Blair 0

Jim Oliver, Syston, England

Just look at the contrast on the faces of Ahmedinijad and Blair. Ahmedinijad is positively beaming with the detainees fawning over him while Blair seems to be quivering while he gives a speech about measured diplomacy. No points for guessing who won in this tussle then.

jack haeter, london , uk

" A win for Iran and peace loving people everywhere..."
Would that include the sixteen year old Iranian girl "adulteress" hung from a gibbet, suspended from a crane, until she was dead?

Mark Lyndon, London, UK

The reality : An easy task to capture UK troops perhaps, given the element of suprise, but what next.
A very different story to commit terrorist style attrocities when the captors are identifiable and supported by or acting under the direct orders of the ruling Iranian regime. Not a good look, so an augustrated face-saving liberation was very much Irans best option. A trial would have meant Iran's commitment to a harsh & unpleasant obligation to "deal to the enemy" in light of their own generated propaganda for the cause of Islam. This would at the least increase sanctions against Iran,more likely direct military action from the West.

Gandolf, Akld,

A win for Iran and peace loving people everywhere, a big loss for the war mongering US/UK coalition governments.

Compare the capturing of 15 british sailors in iranian waters to the attack on the iranian consulate in arbil and subsequent kidnapping of 5 iranian staff who were in iraq at the request of the iraqi government. Iraqi gov. wished the iranians to be freed by the iranian new year - their requests were rejected by the US - some sovereignty!

How are the iranians bein treated? no one knows since the US for two months had denied all access to them - perhaps they are in Abu Ghraib being tortured? Compare this to the treatment of the British captives - well treated , allowed to send letters home, etc. They were released in time for easter without any strings attached - when will the iranians be allowed to return home?

If we in the UK have any sense of morality left then we should demand the US release the 5 iranian diplomats so they too can return to their families.

victor, london,

Maybe the question is not what Iran wanted, but what President Ahmadinejad wanted. In an ideal world he would use his Prophet's birthday address to announce a major milestone in Iran's nuclear program, wouldn't he? I'm pretty sure he has done so in the past.

Let's tell an alternative story in which he manufactures a hostage crisis purely so that he can magnanimously free the hostages during his address to divert attention from the lack of any such announcements.

If this story is correct, then in the long game, the perceived need for a diversion may be as telling as the lack of the announcement.

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

Correct Van West,Indianapolis
The sailors Were Badly Trained They Acted Like Traitors
They Should Have Just Given Name Number And Kept
Their Mouth Shut.
When They Get Back Court Marshall The Sack The Lot.

Thomas(Embarrased), Surbiton, uk

Spoken like a good little puppet, Bronwen, but you job description needs a little further definition to give you credit for Bias.

About the only thing you got right, was that British officials stumbled from the start over the answer. ........ but hey, they do it so well, all at sea without a paddle.

Lesson #1 Hearts and Minds .... Iran 10 Britain [Western World] 0

Which is a NEUKlearer Binary Win in the Digital Great Games of CyberSpace and ITs Beta Global Management of Perception via HyperRadioProActive Media Programs rather than via any Neanderthal Pogrom Programming....... Fascist NeoConservative Ground Offensives.....Peace Anathemas.

But I do defend your right to Spin IT in whatever way pays you and yours best, Bronwen......... but we don't have to swallow ITs Bitter Pill.

amanfromMars, Seventh Heaven , Global Communications HQ

If after the return of the hostages - the Brits do NOT punish Iran - it will be seen as weakness and invite further kidnapping.

Unfortunately.....the world operates on strength. The lamb will be eaten by the LION!

larry, Atlanta/Shrewsbury, USA/UK

Chalk this one up as a win for Iran, over both the UK and the US. And in response to Mr. V.C. Bhutani, the UK did not have the option of attacking. We've seen how well the US and the UK have done in Iraq--if they can't win in Iraq, a win in Iran is certainly out of the question. My suggestion to Tony Blair is to keep his boats out of Iranian waters in the future, but Tony Blair doesn't need to hear that from me: Tony Blair will keep his boats out of Iranian waters from now on, you can bet.

CowDad, Columbia, South Carolina/USA

Iran gained in prestige in the moslem world make no mistake. The sight of British sailors nearly bowing down and thanking the little Adolph of Iran for forgiving them for trespassing and letting them go will be played over and over on Arab TV. Glad they are all released but the hostages (oops -detainees oops- trespassers) don't deserve a victory parade.

van west, indianapolis,

AT A CROSSROADS IN HISTORY

The World celebrates at the safe return of the hostages.

If Great Britain is to continue as a major player in world affairs, then its armed forces must be rebuilt to the point where, militarily, the nation can enjoy self -confidence at home....and respect abroad.

Tony Gumbs, Glendale Heights, USA

Iran's testing of the waters ( quite literally! ) has paid dividends. Firstly, they now know for sure that England has a leadership that is impotent when it comes to defending it's people. Secondly, they have called the bluff on all those who say Iran is a dangerous country, I mean look at how forgiving they have been. Strange, really, that a country can take 15 service personel hostage for several days and then forgive them!? Whilst all this has been going on I'm sure their nuclear developement has been making great progress. At least we can rest in the knowledge that they won't have to use their nuclear bomb on England, they will simply walk straight in. Just think, this is a country who recently threatened to wipe off the face of the earth the only democracy in the middle east ie. Israel ( not counting Iraq of course, which everyone knows is in the midst of civil war ). What a strange year 2007 is becoming!

Peter Mullally, Manchester,

This episode has seen Iran's loss of whatever sympathy it had anywhere in the world. Some in India were prepared for a forceful response from UK. No one in India would have regretted Iran's armed discomfiture at UK's hands - there never was any doubt of the outcome if things came to that pass. I shed a tear of happiness when I saw the headline early morning today, 5 April, 5.30 AM IST.

V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, India

ok so the world is worried about iran and its nuclear program but we have not exactly given them much of a chance have we in my eyes we oversteped the mark in naval exercises and iran thought right if they wont except we have the right to defend our country and develope a sustainable energy source we will defend our waters to prove we have the right to defend ourselves
they kept us informed that the captives were ok
they then released them a noble gesture of good will
yes they are not towing the line with the un council but again we said shut it down for inspections or face sanctions
did we get inspected did america NO yet we enjoye nuclear power will we blast australia when they turn to nuclear power instead of fossil fuel will they too face sanctions
instead of all this you do that or we will do this politics that seems to be the current political way why not offer to help develope thier power research and share our knowlege lets have a nation in the middle east as friends

daren, portsmouth, england