[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 285 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 285

 Condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the Iranian Government's 
seizure of 15 British sailors and marines in the Shatt al Arab waterway 
 on March 23, 2007, and asking for the immediate repatriation of these 
               sailors and marines to the United Kingdom.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 29, 2007

Mr. Dent submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

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                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the Iranian Government's 
seizure of 15 British sailors and marines in the Shatt al Arab waterway 
 on March 23, 2007, and asking for the immediate repatriation of these 
               sailors and marines to the United Kingdom.

Whereas on March 23, 2007, British sailors and marines from the HMS Cornwall 
        were patrolling in Iraqi territorial waters, specifically the Shatt Al 
        Arab waterway, which is located in the Northern Persian Gulf;
Whereas those sailors and marines were patrolling in two inflatable boats from 
        the Cornwall in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 
        1723;
Whereas those sailors and marines were engaged in routine boarding operations of 
        merchant shipping in this waterway;
Whereas during the course of those operations, the two inflatable boats were 
        surrounded by six larger patrol boats belonging to the Iranian 
        Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and, according to various press accounts, 
        forced into Iranian territorial waters;
Whereas these British sailors and marines were subsequently taken hostage by 
        these Revolutionary Guard naval forces;
Whereas this incident occurred just before the United Nations Security Council 
        agreed to tougher sanctions against Iran for its refusal to halt its 
        uranium enrichment program;
Whereas those sanctions in part froze the assets of more than two dozen entities 
        and individuals, including commanders of the Revolutionary Guards, the 
        elite force that the United Kingdom has indicated is responsible for the 
        seizure of these British sailors and marines;
Whereas the British Government has demanded the immediate repatriation of these 
        sailors and marines;
Whereas the Iranian Government has refused to return these British citizens over 
        to the United Kingdom; and
Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to hold these sailors and marines 
        against their will, and has refused to allow them contact with the 
        British Government: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, Iran's 
        seizure of British sailors and marines on March 23, 2007, and 
        asks for their immediate return to British custody;
            (2) calls on the United Nations to condemn Iran's continued 
        holding of these British naval personnel;
            (3) demands that Iran refrain from denying the British 
        Government its right to have contact with these sailors and 
        marines while they are in Iranian custody; and
            (4) demands that Iran refrain from subjecting these sailors 
        and marines to any ``show trials'' in Iranian courts or to any 
        treatment which is cruel or inhumane while these British naval 
        personnel remain unlawfully in Iranian custody.
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