TEHRAN: Five British yachtsmen detained in the Gulf last week by Revolutionary Guards were freed today after it was determined they inadvertently strayed into Iran’s territorial waters, Tehran said.

The British Foreign Office confirmed the release of the men, who had been sailing from Bahrain to Dubai to take part in a race. “The five Britons who had illegally entered with their vessel into the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran

and who were arrested near Siri island have been freed hours ago,” said a Guards statement carried by Fars news agency. In London, the Foreign Office said, “The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed that the five yachtsmen have been released. We understand that they are being towed to international waters and will be met by a representative from the sailing company.”

Noaman al-Hassan, Bahrain Maritime Sailing Association general secretary, told AFP in Manama the boat would be towed to the Dubai International Marine Club.

The Guards, whose naval forces patrol Gulf waters, said the men had been interrogated and, “after investigation, it became evident that their illegal entry was a mistake.”

“So they were freed after taking the needed written commitments.” The five had been held since November 25.

On Tuesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff Esfandiar

Rahim Mashaie warned they would be dealt with “firmly” if found guilty of illegally entering Iranian waters with “ill intentions.”

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband pressed his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, to release the five — Oliver Smith, Oliver Young, Sam Usher, Luke Porter and sports

journalist David Bloomer, who holds dual Irish-

British nationality.

Miliband said they appeared to have “inadvertently” strayed into Iranian waters, adding that the incident had “nothing to do” with politics or the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear programme