[背景]3月23日伊朗以“入侵”伊朗水域为由，扣押15名英兵。英国宣布冻结与伊朗商业关系。随后，伊朗电视台播出被俘士兵承认犯境视频。4月4日，伊朗总统内贾德宣布放人，并把解决这一事件“作为伊朗送给英国人民的礼物”，赦免和宽恕了这15名“侵入伊朗领土”的英国士兵。两国之间本来剑拔弩张的关系瞬间缓和，英国首相布莱尔也主动向伊朗示好，表示尊重伊朗人民和伊朗悠久的文化，英国对伊朗没有恶意，并表示他希望两国政府间的分歧会通过和平对话的方式解决。对此事的发展趋势，美国总统布什也不得不口是心非的说很高兴看到这个结果，但内心的苦闷外人不得而知，本希望借 “肉包子打狗”发难，却不知反被狗咬。此事对美伊之间潜在的战争危险有何影响，大家还得拭目以待。——编者
[CNN原文]Iran president says British sailors and marines (1) to be freed
TEHRAN, Iran （CNN） —— Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with some of the 15 British military personnel (2) held in Iranian custody (3) for almost two weeks, shortly after pardoning(4)the group and vowing to set them free.
Iranian state television (5) showed footage (6) of Ahmadinejad shaking hands, smiling and chatting with the detainees(7), who were dressed in suits. One of them was heard to comment in English: "We are grateful for your forgiveness."
Ahmadinejad joked with one of them: "What kind of compulsory trip were you on?" He added: "I wish you success."
An Iranian diplomat in London told The Associated Press that the 15 would be handed over to (8) the British Embassy in Tehran. It is unclear when that handover would take place.
According to the president's office, the Britons will leave Tehran at 8 a.m. Thursday （0430 GMT）.
Parents expressed huge relief.
"Well, we were absolutely, totally shocked," said Alison Carman, mother of Lt. Felix Carman, as she stood beside her husband. "It was just unbelievable. It was a bolt out of the blue. (9)We'd been praying for their release, and when it actually happened, I think I fell to the floor, and Paul burst into tears."
In the town of Hayle, a party was under way (10) at the Cornubia Pub, where one of the detained sailors, Nathan Thomas Summers, worked before joining the Royal Navy.
"We haven't gotten any news yet, but the Ministry of Defense and the Royal Navy have been absolutely fantastic keeping us up to date with every bit of information we've needed," said Summers' mother, Tracey Watkins.
"We really will celebrate once I actually see my son on English soil," she said. "That will be the time. When he's in my arms."
She said she was told that Summers would have to undergo debriefing (11) and a physical exam (12) before seeing his family, but he can call them once he reaches the British Embassy.
"As politics is concerned, I try to keep out of it (13)," Watkins said. "I am just glad I'm getting my son back."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the announcement comes "as a profound relief, not just to them but to their families that have endured such distress and anxiety over these past 12 days."
"Throughout, we have taken a measured approach (14): firm but calm, not negotiating but not confronting either," Blair said in a brief statement to reporters.
"To the Iranian people, I would simply say this: We bear you no ill will. (15) On the contrary, we respect Iran as an ancient civilization and as a nation with a proud and dignified history.
"And the disagreements that we have with your government we wish to resolve peacefully through dialogue. I hope, as I have always hoped, that in the future we are able to do so."
In Washington, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said: "President Bush also welcomes the news."
Ahmadinejad's announcement came at the end of a lengthy (16)news conference (17)Wednesday, in which he said the detainees had violated Iran's territorial waters and called their release "a gift to the British people."
"I declare that the people of Iran and the government of Iran —— in full power to place on trial the military people —— to give amnesty (18)and pardon (19)to these 15 people, and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said.
The action was a goodwill gesture for the Iranian new year, he said, adding that Iran had received a letter from Britain promising not to intrude into Iranian waters.
"The British government sent a letter to our Foreign Ministry and said it would not happen again. Of course, our decision had nothing to do with the letter. It's a decision made by our government to give a gift to the people of Britain," Ahmadinejad said in answer to a reporter's question.
"They will go through some brief formalities (20), and then they will go to the embassy," he said. "They can go on a British Airways flight to Heathrow, they can go through the UAE, it is up to the British Embassy in Tehran in coordination with the Foreign Office here."
Ahmadinejad had earlier praised the border guards (21)who captured the 15 on March 23, presenting their commander with a medal for bravery.
"I thank the border guards who bravely protect our borders and also arrested the violators, and I grant them the bravery medal to their commander," Ahmadinejad said.
Ahmadinejad's announcement followed a cooling (22)in the diplomatic row that had raged (23)between London and Tehran since the Britons' detention March 23.
Iran had released several videos showing the 14 men and one woman, including confessions (24)from four of the sailors.
Britain said the confessions were coerced and expressed its outrage (25)about the videos' release.
Other developments
A U.S. military official said Washington officials were considering a request made by Iran to allow Iranian representatives access to the five detained Iranians captured in early January by U.S. forces during a military raid in northern Iraq. "The request has been made, but nothing has been approved," the official told CNN on Wednesday.
Iranian officials in Kish Island said a U.S. inquiry into an American citizen who has been missing for several weeks in southern Iran was made for "political purposes," according to IRNA, Iran's state-run news agency.
[注释]：
1. marine 水兵
2. military personnel 军事人员，包括军人以及为军人提供后勤保障的人员，paramilitary personnel 是准军事人员，包括民兵、预备队、没有公开活动的游击队员以及参加军事训练但未入伍的人员。
3. hold in custody 监禁，custody是监管，保管的意思
4. pardoning 宽恕，饶恕，免于对...所犯罪过的惩罚
5. state television 国家电视台，state一般用来表示“国家的”，如国家机关state departments
6. footage 胶片，电影胶片
7. detainee 被拘留的人，detain拘留，羁押，相当于hole sb. in custody
8.handed over to 移交，转交
9. It was a bolt out of the blue. 晴天霹雳。bolt是闪电的意思，out of the blue指的是碧空万里
10. under way 这在计划中，在准备中，就要开始
11. debriefing 述职，报告任务
12. physical exam 体检
13. As politics is concerned, I try to keep out of it. 对于政治，我避而远之。
14. taken a measured approach 采取有节制的措施
15. We bear you no ill will. 我们对你们没有恶意。
16. lengthy 冗长的，由名词length变化而来
17. news conference 新闻发布会
18. amnesty 赦免，比较正式，一般是国王、君主、总统等以较高的身份免除某人的罪责，这些罪责往往都是冒犯了这些人的尊严，所以一般是政治犯。
19. pardon 宽恕，赦免，范围比较广，实施这一行为的可以是个人、国家权力机关，也可以是一个组织。
20. formalities 手续
21. the border guards 边防军
22. cooling 缓解，冷却
23. raged 激化，变的尖锐
24. confessions 认罪，坦白自己的罪过
25. outrage 愤怒 outrageous 残暴的，无耻的