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(2007-04-05)
WASHINGTON, DC
(Associated Press) -
Iran's president is calling it a "gift" and British diplomats say they're delighted, but at least one analyst says Iran's decision to release 15 captured British sailors and marines shows Tehran overplayed its hand.Andrew Grotto says prolonging the standoff would have further isolated and embarrassed Iran. Grotto, a senior national security analyst at Center for American Progress, tells A-P Radio that Iran has a history of creating incidents to "deflect attention" from other matters. But, he says in this case, the incident was complicating matters at the U-N.
The Security Council passed new sanctions against Iran, just before the capture of the British crew. Tehran has been defying U-N calls for it to halt its nuclear program.
He adds that Iran made a mistake by airing what it called "confessions" from the British detainees. Iran has done that with dissidents, and Grotto says it undermined whatever sympathy they might have received in the region.
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