LONDON, March 27: British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iran on Tuesday that a row over 15 detained sailors could enter a “different phase” if they were not freed soon, remarks which Tehran condemned as provocative.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett meanwhile cut short a visit to Turkey in order to report to parliament on Wednesday, having hit a dead end in talks with her Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki.

Mr Blair earlier cautioned Iran that he was not prepared to see the naval personnel held with “no justification whatever.” His official spokesman said London was not looking to escalate the standoff and would prefer a diplomatic solution, insisting that Britain was not considering military action or throwing out Iran's ambassador.

Mr Blair said Britain was trying to “pursue this through the diplomatic channels and make the Iranian government understand these people have to be released”. “If not, then this will move into a different phase,” he said in an interview with GMTV television.

However in Tehran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini denounced the British remarks.

“The media campaigns and provocative ... remarks regarding the violation of Iranian territorial waters by the British sailors are doing nothing to help settle the affair,” he said.

“The British service personnel entered Iranian waters illegally and the case will follow its legal and judicial course.”

Ms Beckett said she had decided to return to London after speaking on the telephone with Mr Mottaki.-—AFP