Britain has failed to win UN support for a statement deploring Iran's detention of 15 UK sailors and marines and calling for their immediate release.
A senior Iranian official suggested Iran may put the British captives on trial.
After three hours of talks, ambassadors from the 15 UN Security Council nations were still trying to agree on a watered-down press statement.
One compromise that would take note the council's concern about the detentions and call for their immediate release was rejected by Russia, diplomats said.
Russia proposed instead that the statement take note of the general situation and call for humanitarian access.
Russia-Humanitarian: They fit together like, say, Yankees-Red Sox
The nation, which has strong commercial links with Tehran, raised serious objections to the thrust of the original British statement.
Well, Blighty, you know you've hit bottom as a respected military power when even the Kremlin's kleptocrats call you fibbers.
The sailors and marines were seized after they allegedly went into Iranian waters - but Britain has insisted the servicemen and woman were in Iraqi waters.
The UK had wanted the council to say it deplores Iran's actions, to state that the incident took place in Iraqi waters, and demand the Britons' immediate release of the Britons.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, said only that he had made "constructive suggestions" and hoped members could agree on a statement. |