Iraq fears getting caught up in Iran, Britain row

By Mariam Karouny

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq fears becoming embroiled in a growing diplomatic row between Iran and Britain over 15 captured British sailors and marines, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

"We are making efforts with the Iranians to solve this issue because any escalation would impact Iraq. Any tension would (play out) on Iraqi land," Ali al-Dabbagh told Reuters after a cabinet meeting, without elaborating.

He said the Iraqi authorities could not confirm where the sailors were when Iran detained them four days ago, although Iraq's foreign ministry had said they were in Iraqi waters.

Iran says it may charge the 15 Britons with illegally entering its waters. London insists the two boatloads of military personnel were in Iraqi waters in the northern Gulf and has demanded their immediate release.

"We do not have any confirmation where they were. We heard from the Iranians they were in Iranian waters and from the British that they were in Iraqi waters," Dabbagh added.

We call on them (Iran and Britain) to end this situation, We call for an investigation and the release of the sailors."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Tehran on Tuesday of a "different phase" if it did not free the sailors.

Iraqi officials have repeatedly urged the United States and Shi'ite Iran not to use the country as a battlefield to settle their differences.

U.S. forces have detained a number of Iranians in Iraq who Tehran says are diplomats. The U.S. military also says Iranian-made weapons are being used in attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq.

Tehran is in a long-running dispute with the international community over its nuclear program. Iraq itself is caught up in a bloody sectarian war between Sunni Arabs, once dominant under Saddam Hussein and the formerly oppressed Shi'ite majority.

Iran captured eight British servicemen in similar circumstances in 2004 and released them after three days.

Iranian Vice Foreign Minister Mahdi Mostafavi said on Monday the Britons were being questioned to see if they had crossed into Iranian territory deliberately or not.