UK in direct communication with Iran on sailors

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is in "direct bilateral communication" with Iran as it tries to win the release of 15 detained sailors and marines, British Defence Secretary Des Browne said on Sunday.

"We are anxious that this matter be resolved as quickly as possible and that it be resolved by diplomatic means and we are bending every single effort to that," Browne told BBC television.

"It's not my intention to go through the detail of that blow by blow, and it wouldn't be appropriate to do that, but we are in direct bilateral communication with the Iranians," he said.

Iran detained the British sailors and marines on March 23, accusing them of illegally entering its waters, while Britain says they were searching a ship in Iraqi waters.

Iran and Britain have exchanged diplomatic notes on the incident in the last few days, but their content is unknown.

The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported that Britain would be prepared to give Iran guarantees that the Royal Navy would not knowingly enter Iranian waters without permission.

But Britain would not apologise or say its boats entered Iran's waters, the report said.

It said there were plans to send a Royal Navy captain or commodore to Tehran, as a special envoy of the government, to deliver the assurance.

The Foreign Office declined comment on the report.