[jumpy]

About time.
This particular charade was allowed to continue for far too long.

What may be taken for shrewd political manoeuvring over in Iran can be generally and truthfully regarded by the rest of the world as a thinly disguised attempt at sabre rattling; that the UK should view it as anything other than the Iranian authorities thumbing their nose at the west is inconceivable.
As for the statements of the sailors and marines... well they smell of the same rotten dung as those who were paraded in front of the Arab media by Saddam, cap in hand saying how 'sorry they were and how they are that in your wisdom that you are letting us go home sir....' BS. ...Like they had any choice in the matter.

Had we kidnapped a bunch of their sailors and played them to the world press they would be calling in no uncertain terms for our collective blood.

Still, except for anyone who has been living on mars for the last 50 years or so, this is of no surprise whatsoever.

The next time this kind of 'accident' occurs (and I'm sure it will at some point) it ought to be made clear that any vessel coming within 500m of any British warship or boarding party will be assumed to be of aggressive intent and fired upon. However I seriously doubt such a ruling would come to pass, even were it to be realistically entertained by the MOD or the government.

Ah well, I suppose the unctuous wheels of diplomacy will continue to turn ever so slowly in respect of matters such as these.