A British couple were home in Dubai today after spending 13 days in an Iranian jail for sailing their yacht near a disputed island in the Gulf.
Stuart Wise said he and his wife, Linda, had planned to anchor near the island of Abu Musa, which is claimed by Iran and the United Arab Emirates, after reading on maps that it was a safe harbour.
Two gunboats pulled up and whisked them to Iran. "To be frank, we were treated fine. We were treated courteously. We were given food," he told BBC radio from Dubai.
"At the individual level, I have no complaints about the Iranians we came into contact with." But he said the couple were questioned for days, without being told what they were accused of.
"I think we had five interrogation teams," he said. "I think they thought this was some subtle form of spying, perhaps."
The couple were permitted to phone their family, who alerted the British embassy. They were released yesterday and flew home overnight, the British Foreign Office said.