Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has condemned the UK as "arrogant and selfish" for refusing to apologize for the Royal Navy captives crisis.

He insisted that "British occupier forces" trespassed into Iranian waters and that his country's border guards had displayed "skill and bravery".

Meanwhile, Iranian diplomat Gholamreza Ansari said "legal process" had begun against the 15 British personnel.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Mr Ansari's comments were "unhelpful".

'Occupier forces'

Mr Ahmadinejad attacked Britain for failing to apologize.

"The British occupier forces did trespass our waters. Our border guards detained them with skill and bravery," he said in a speech in the city of Andinmeshk.

"But arrogant powers, because of their arrogant and selfish spirit, are claiming otherwise.

"After the arrest of these people, the British government, instead of apologizing and expressing regret over the action taken, started to claim that we are in their debt and shouted in different international councils.

"But this is not the legal and logical way for this issue."

Britain denies Iran's claims that the UK crew was in its waters when seized on 23 March and is demanding their "immediate" return.

Mrs Beckett earlier confirmed that a British diplomatic note had been sent to the Iranians.

"I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen. What we want is a way out of it - we want it peacefully and we want it as soon as possible," she said.

'Misquoted'

Iran's official IRNA news agency had carried a report saying Mr Ansari, Iran's ambassador to Moscow, had told Russian television that legal moves had already started against the 15 and that there was a possibility they could stand trial.

But the agency later quoted Mr Ansari saying the television channel had made a "translation mistake" and that he had not mentioned the prospect of a trial.

Speaking earlier at a European Union summit in the German city of Bremen, Mrs Beckett said she had replied to a letter from the Iranian government, but gave no detail of the contents.

She stressed the British government wanted the situation resolved quickly.

"We continue to express our willingness to engage in dialogue and discussion, to come to a resolution of this issue," she said.

'Thinking afresh'

She expressed her "concern" over claims by Mr Ansari that the British personnel could face legal action.

"I don't think it's helpful to Iran, I don't think it's helpful to our detainees - I think that is not the tone really that I would wish anyone to strike," she said.

But she added that things had "gone a little quieter" in the negotiations and she hoped that was "a good sign" that Iran was "thinking afresh what is the way out of this situation".

BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said although their was no sign of a major diplomatic breakthrough in the crisis, there was now a sense of dialogue between the two countries.

Both sides appeared to be "lowering the temperature", he added.

Earlier, US state department spokesman Sean McCormack rejected suggestions that a swap could be made for five Iranians captured in Iraq by US forces in January.

The Iranians, believed to be members of the Revolutionary Guard, were taken in a raid in the city of Irbil, along with equipment which the Americans say shows clear Iranian links to networks supplying Iraqi insurgents with technology and weapons.

Condemnation

US officials have condemned Iran's actions over the 15 Navy personnel and publicly supported the UK.

And EU foreign ministers, meeting in Bremen, called for "the immediate and unconditional release" of the sailors and expressed "unconditional support" for Britain's position.

Meanwhile, former hostage Terry Waite, who was held captive for 1,760 days in Beirut before being released in November 1991, has offered to travel to Iran to negotiate with those holding the Britons.

Mr Waite said threatening the Iranian government was counterproductive and said he would be able to "cut through some of the rhetoric".

Prime Minister Tony Blair earlier criticized Iran for "parading" the UK crew on television in a way which would only "enhance people's sense of disgust".

In what appeared to be an edited broadcast on an Iranian channel on Friday, captured sailor Nathan Thomas Summers said: "I would like to apologize for entering your waters without permission."

He was shown alongside two colleagues, one of whom was Leading Seaman Faye Turney, from Shropshire, who had been broadcast apologizing to Iran earlier in the week.

Along with LS Turney and Nathan Summers, who is from Cornwall, Paul Barton from Southport, Danny Masterton from Ayrshire, Joe Tindall from south London and Adam Sperry from Leicester are among those being held by Iran.

The Britons, based on HMS Cornwall, were seized by Revolutionary Guards as they returned from searching a vessel in the northern Gulf.

Photo caption

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad