U.S. Opts to Continue to Hold 5 Iranian Agents

Source: Washington Post

U.S. Opts to Continue to Hold 5 Iranian Agents
Administration's Move to Extend Detention at Odds With
State Dept. Recommendation

By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 13, 2007; 3:02 PM

The Bush administration has decided to hold onto five Iranian
Revolutionary Guard intelligence agents captured in Iraq, overruling
a recommendation from the State Department to release them
because they are no longer useful, according to U.S. officials.

At a meeting of the president's top foreign policy team Tuesday, the
administration decided that the five Iranians will remain in custody
and go through the periodic six-month review used for other foreign
detainees picked up in Iraq, U.S. officials said. The next review may
not happen for weeks, and possibly not until July.

-snip-

Iran is threatening not to attend a pivotal meeting in Egypt next
month of Iraq's neighbors -- plus the United States and international
groups involved in Iraq -- that Washington hopes will increase regional
cooperation to stabilize the country. Without Iran, which exerts great
influence in Iraq, the meeting could end up having marginal impact,
according to Iraqi officials and Middle East experts.

-snip-

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice went into the Tuesday meeting
with a recommendation to free the men, but after a full review of the
options she went along with the consensus, U.S. officials said. Vice
President Cheney's office made the firmest case for continuing to hold
the men.

-snip-


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041301282.html

---

Source: Associated Press

U.S. Holds Onto Iranians Seized in Iraq

Friday April 13, 2007 11:46 PM

By ANNE GEARAN

AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration decided this week that
it will hold onto five alleged Iranian intelligence agents for several
more weeks, at least, instead of freeing them quickly on the heels of
last week's release of 15 Britons who had been seized by Iran, U.S.
officials said Friday.

Vice President Dick Cheney's foreign policy advisers won an internal
administration tussle over what to do with the men, U.S. officials
confirmed on condition of anonymity. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice had argued for a quicker release but was overruled, partly out
of concern not to make the release appear part of a deal involving
the British, the sources said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6556163,00.html

Please remind me.

When the Britons were 'detained' they were called hostages.