Both American and Israeli politicians have been looking for an excuse to go to war with Iran for years. In addition to the accusation that the Iranian government is supplying Iraqi insurgents or the baseless claims that they’re developing nuclear weapons, our warmongering leaders may finally have what they need to spread the wonders of imperialism even further.

15 British royal navy personnel were seized by the Iranian navy when they boarded a boat off the coast of Iraq to inspect its cargo. Commodore Nick Lambert, commander of the vessel the men are from, said; “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they [British personnel] were in Iraqi territorial waters. Equally, the Iranians may claim they were in Iranian waters. I hope we find this is a simple misunderstanding at the tactical level.”

There has been no evidence of fighting and the men are understood to be unharmed. The Ministry of Defense said, “The group boarding party had completed a successful inspection of a merchant ship when they and their two boats were surrounded and escorted by Iranian vessels into Iranian territorial waters. The British government is demanding the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment.” Meanwhile, the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the British Foreign office.

The incident comes as British Army Colonel Justin Masherevski, who is based in Iraq, says most of the violence against UK forces in Basra is being engineered by Iranian elements. Col Masherevski said Iran was providing “sophisticated weaponry” to insurgents and “Iranian agents” were paying local men to attack British troops.

In 2004, Iran detained eight British servicemen for three days after they allegedly strayed over the maritime border. The UK claimed the men were “forcibly escorted” into Iranian territorial waters. While they were being held, the men were paraded blindfold and made to apologize on Iranian TV before their release was agreed.

The BBC’s diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said the difference this time, and a cause of concern, is that the present Iranian government under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was much more hardline. “The political climate is worse with Britain among those confronting Iran over its controversial nuclear program,” he added.

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