Britain pushes for international help in Iran row

By Sophie Walker

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain sought international help to isolate Iran on Thursday in a standoff over the capture of 15 military personnel, while Iran threatened to delay the release of the only woman detainee if London created a "fuss."

Britain is seeking approval from the U.N. Security Council for a statement deploring last week's detention of the sailors. The dispute has stoked Middle East tensions and sent shockwaves through the oil market.

Government sources said Britain would discuss practical steps of support at an EU foreign ministers' meeting this weekend, but a senior Iranian official said Tehran could delay the planned release of the only woman detained.

"We even said that the grounds were ready for the release of a woman among the British sailors but if we are faced with a fuss and wrong behavior then this would be suspended and it would not take place," Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state television.

The capture of the British sailors at a time of heightened tension with Iran over its nuclear program helped pushed oil prices to six-month highs on concerns that any escalation could hit crucial oil supplies from the Gulf.

Britain, which froze all business ties with Iran on Wednesday and has been at the forefront of the campaign to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, said it was not seeking confrontation with Tehran and wanted the situation resolved quickly.

"We have widened the net of arguing our case. First of all we've brought in the EU. Today we're doing so at the U.N.," Blair's official spokesman said. "We expect further developments soon in the context of the U.N."

Britain has halted all official travel between the UK and Iran and suspended visa issuing and support for trade missions. Western partners have not taken specific actions but leaders in Washington and the European Union voiced strong support.