Blair says next two days "critical" in crisis with Iran

dpa German Press Agency Published: Tuesday April 3, 2007

London- British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday that
the next two days would be "fairly critical" in the bid to to secure
the release of the 15 naval personnel held captive by Iran.
"The next 48 hours will be fairly critical," Blair told a local
radio station in Glasgow, Scotland, where he was visiting.

He was speaking after what were seen in London as positive remarks
by Ali Larijani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

"I've read the transcripts of the interview ... and that seems to
offer some prospect, but the most important thing is to get these
people back," Blair said.

"All the way through this we've really had two tracks on this: one
is to make sure Iran understands that the pressure is there available
to us if this thing has to be hard and tough and long," Blair said.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

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