US offered aggressive patrol in Iranian airspace

LONDON: The United States had reportedly offered to take military action on behalf of the 15 British sailors and marines held captive by Iran, including buzzing Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions with war-planes.

In the first few days, when the British diplomats were not getting any news from Tehran on the whereabouts of the capitive sailors, Pentagon officials asked their British counterparts: What do you want us to do? 'The Guardian' reported on Saturday.

They offered a series of military options, of which, one was to buzz the Iranian Revolutionary Guard bases in Iran with fighter jets, it said quoting diplomatic sources.

According to the report, the British, given the mounting risk of war between the US and Iran, declined the offer saying US could calm the situation by staying out of it. London also asked the US to tone down the military exercises that were already under way in the Gulf.

Three days before the capture of the British sailors and marines, a second career group arrived in the region.

At Britain's request, the two carrier groups, totaling 40 ships plus aircraft, changed their exercises to make them appear less confrontational, the report said.

London maintains they were mounting a routine anti-smuggling patrol in Iraqi waters, while Tehran insists they tresspassed into Iranian waters.