UNITED NATIONS, March 30: The UN Security Council on Thursday called for an early resolution of the row over Iran’s detention of 15 British marines and sailors, voicing grave concern at the situation and calling for their release,. In a statement to the press read out by Ambassador Dumisani S. Kumalo of South Africa, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, Council members appealed to the Iranian government to allow consular access to the naval personnel, who were captured by Revolutionary Guard members in the Persian Gulf last Friday. Mr Kumalo added that Council members supported calls for “an early resolution of this problem, including the release of the 15 UK personnel.”

UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon “expressed his wish to see an early resolution,” according to a read-out of the talks, and also urged Iran to comply in full with all Security Council resolutions, including resolution 1747, which was adopted by the 15-member panel last Saturday.