# Iran confiscates three British boats **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 21, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486 "2004-06-21T18:28:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leenmi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@leenmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leenmi)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/1 "2004-06-21T18:28:15Z")
[Link](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040621/D83BG46O0.html) > [@](#): > > “I can confirm that three small Royal Navy patrol boats and eight crew have been out of communication since the early hours of this morning,” said a British military spokesman in Basra, Iraq, said on condition of anonymity. “It is not unusual for the Royal Navy to be patrolling the Shatt-al-Arab.” A Defense Ministry spokesman described the vessels as “river boat craft with outboard motors,” used for training patrols. The Iranian TV report said crew members were carrying maps and weapons. It also said the vessels were confiscated about 11 a.m. between the Bahmanshir and Arvand rivers, which would put them in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway east of the Iraqi city of Faw. Of course they were carrying maps and weapons. They were members of a military members on a patrol. Personally, I hope this works out like the incident between the US and China when the reconnaissance plane was damaged and had to make an emergency landing. Both sides rattle sabres but it’s really worked out diplomatically. But I only hope that because war should be a last resort. What are the Iranians thinking? Did they think we had bagged our limit on Middle Eastern sovereignty? Some game warden is gonna come by and say “Got to put that government back, now, you’ve had your two this decade.” We are successfully ignoring the drudge of post-war Afghanistan. We are desperately seeking a way to shift the focus from post-war Iraq. Why on earth would the Iranians give us an excuse to get everyone focused on the pretty fireworks involved when we destroy yet another military force in the region? I know they didn’t take US boats, but it doesn’t matter. My guess is Tony Blair only needs to _think_ that, _maybe_, in a week or so he _might_ have it suggested to Iran that military action could be considered and the US will hear “Go!”. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/2 "2004-06-21T18:38:34Z")
I’m sure the US or British navies won’t hesitate to intercept any Iranian boat which strays into Iraqi waters, and if it’s a military vessel there’ll be all hell to pay. Of course, we all want it to be resolved quickly and peacefully, because it seems like a simple cock-up on the part of the marines. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/3 "2004-06-21T18:49:55Z")
I don’t really know what to think, they special forces maybe? Small rubber craft with only 8 guys? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/4 "2004-06-21T19:39:07Z")
They were probably guarding against smugglers crossing into Iraq - a task which pretty much requires small fast boats. “Small boats = SAS” is far too simplistic. ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/5 "2004-06-21T20:20:40Z")
I heard one news report saying the boats were on their way to the Iraqis for the Iraqi security services to patrol the waters between Iraq and Iran. I just hope the UK forces apoligise for an honest mistake and the boats get returned. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/6 "2004-06-21T20:27:59Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > They were probably guarding against smugglers crossing into Iraq - a task which pretty much requires small fast boats. “Small boats = SAS” is far too simplistic. Just throwing it out there for the tinfoil hat crowd. ---
**Author:** ![E72521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@E72521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E72521)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/7 "2004-06-21T20:40:34Z")
First the Iraqis, and now the Iranians seem to have a problem with their sovereignty being violated. I see a pattern developing. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/8 "2004-06-21T20:40:39Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Just throwing it out there for the tinfoil hat crowd. LOL - and you got mistaken for one yourself 😛 (Anyway, the true tin-foilers will realise I should have said S **B** S…) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/9 "2004-06-21T22:09:42Z")
> [@leenmi](#): > > [Link](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040621/D83BG46O0.html) > > Of course they were carrying maps and weapons. They were members of a military members on a patrol. > > Personally, I hope this works out like the incident between the US and China when the reconnaissance plane was damaged and had to make an emergency landing. Both sides rattle sabres but it’s really worked out diplomatically. > > But I only hope that because war should be a last resort. What are the Iranians thinking? Did they think we had bagged our limit on Middle Eastern sovereignty? Some game warden is gonna come by and say “Got to put that government back, now, you’ve had your two this decade.” > > We are successfully ignoring the drudge of post-war Afghanistan. We are desperately seeking a way to shift the focus from post-war Iraq. Why on earth would the Iranians give us an excuse to get everyone focused on the pretty fireworks involved when we destroy yet another military force in the region? > > I know they didn’t take US boats, but it doesn’t matter. My guess is Tony Blair only needs to _think_ that, _maybe_, in a week or so he _might_ have it suggested to Iran that military action could be considered and the US will hear “Go!”. What kind of stupid bullshit is that last bit? What the fuck does this have to do with the United States? “I know this has nothing to do with the United States but I might as well throw some stupid shit into the mix because I think it sounds good” ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/10 "2004-06-21T22:49:46Z")
This’ll be a non issue. The brits wandered off course. The Iranians detained them, as is their right. The Iranians reported the detainment in a timely manner. The Iranians will make the Brits squirm abit because armed soldiers were found in their territory, but that’s just because they can and it’s a pretty well established diplomatic dance that is the equivilant of a good finger wagging. ---
**Author:** ![Eolbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Eolbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eolbo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/11 "2004-06-22T08:13:05Z")
Iran has now announced it will be prosecuting the captured sailors. ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iran-confiscates-three-british-boats/251486/12 "2004-06-22T20:12:36Z")
Give us back our dinghys Iran :mad: What if the Falklands gets invaded again??