Iran Sunday ignored growing international pressure to release 15 British sailors and marines, saying London should change its attitude over the nine-day standoff.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted on Sunday as saying: "Iran is waiting for a change in Britain's attitude and a balanced stance over our legal demands (for apology)."

Britain changed tactic on Saturday with Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett spelling out her regret over the situation.

She urged Iran to work for a peaceful resolution and to engage in dialogue with Britain. "We continue to express our willingness to engage in dialogue and discussions with Iran," she said while attending a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Bremen, Germany.

"I think everyone regrets that this position has arisen," she said. "What we want is a way out of it."

A British Foreign Office source said Sunday: "For the last couple of days we have been toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose. This is a small gesture to create some breathing space and to see whether we get anything substantive from the Iranians."

The dispute surrounds claims from Iran that the 15 British sailors and marines were in "Iranian territory", while Britain claims they were in "Iraqi waters".

In his first public comment thereon, US President George W. Bush slammed the capture of the Britons as "inexcusable" on Saturday. Speaking at Camp David, Bush added that "Iran must give back the hostages immediately and unconditionally. They're innocent. They did nothing wrong."

These calls seemed to have no effect on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who toed the line that Britons had trespassed into Iranian waters and that world powers were proving themselves to be "arrogant" in not apologizing.

"The British occupier forces did trespass our waters. Our border guards detained them with skill and bravery," Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. "But arrogant powers, because of their arrogant and selfish spirit, are claiming otherwise."

IRNA further reported that Ahmadinejad reiterated the success of Teheran's nuclear program, claiming that "the people will hear good news in this respect".

Fuelling an already tense atmosphere, about 200 students gathered to throw stones and firecrackers at the British embassy in Teheran Sunday, clamoring for the ambassador to be expelled.

Although the British Foreign Office reported no damage, the compound was wreathed in smoke after several small blasts echoed around the embassy. One witness attributed eight blasts from what were likely to be small, home-made explosive devices.

Iran has also sent an official complaint to the British embassy in Teheran, slamming a shooting incident involving British troops near its consulate in the Iraqi city of Basra on Thursday as a "provocative act", Iran's ISNA news agency reported.

Britain has refuted this claim, explaining the incident as British soldiers firing in self-defense after their convoy was ambushed.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, currently also EU president, renewed the EU's support for Britain, in a speech in Jerusalem on Sunday.

"I repeat here that Britain has the full solidarity of the European Union in this matter. We demand the prompt release of the 15 soldiers," she was quoted as saying.

The call came after a UN Security Council statement issued last week expressing "grave concern" and calling "for an early resolution of this problem, including the release of the 15 British personnel".

In response, Iran has urged the EU to not get involved and has further accused Britain of deepening the crisis by taking it to the UN. The world body is out of favor in Iran after passing two resolutions imposing sanctions against Teheran for its nuclear program since December.

(China Daily via agencies April 2, 2007)