While Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad portrayed the release of the 14 men and one woman as a gift and a goodwill gesture, there has been a lot of speculation about other motives behind the move.

Fifteen British navy personnel freed by Iran after nearly two weeks of detention have arrived in Britain. The group - 14 men and one woman - arrived Thursday at London's Heathrow airport aboard a scheduled commercial flight from Tehran.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair today hailed the return to Britain of the 15 service personnel who had been held by Iran. Blair told reporters in London that their release had been secured "without any deal" or negotiation.

The end of the standoff between Britain and Iran still leaves many questions unanswered. Chief among them is why Iran took such a deliberately provocative action as seizing British sailors and marines. As VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports, many analysts believe the heart of the matter lies in the struggle between Iran and the United States for influence in Iraq and the Middle East.

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad announced today in Tehran that the 15 British service personnel detained in the Persian Gulf on March 23 will be "pardoned" and released.

Iranian parliament speaker Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel today said Britain was taking "more appropriate action" to end the dispute over Tehran's detention of the British naval personnel in the Persian Gulf on March 23.

An Iranian news agency, Fars, has published new photos of the 15 British sailors taken captive by Iranian forces last month. The photos show the sailors wearing track suits, seated in a group on a carpet and smiling.

Iran's extended Norouz (New Year) holidays and a parliamentary recess have resulted in little public comments in Iran about the March 23 detentions of 15 British naval personnel in the Persian Gulf, most politicians and other groups have been supportive of the government's action as the proper response to a perceived violation of Iran's territorial waters.

The legal codes and constitutions of most countries -- at least on paper -- protect detainees from psychological and physical abuse. In this respect, Iran is no exception.

Iran and Britain have reportedly been in contact in an attempt to resolve the row over the capture of 15 British navy personnel by Iranian forces. Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani, has said that talks could help find a solution to the 11-day standoff, while British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the next two days would be "fairly critical" to resolving the dispute.

U.S. President George Bush says Iran must unconditionally release 15 British naval personnel seized this past week. VOA White House Correspondent reports, Mr. Bush discussed the matter Saturday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who vowed to continue his country's commercial ties with Iran.

London says the 15 British sailors and marines captured on March 23 were unlawfully seized in Iraqi waters, while Tehran says they trespassed into Iranian territory. Both sides are producing evidence: Britain with satellite maps, Iran with the "confessions" of the sailors themselves.