Failings identified in response to Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
<noinclude>
{{2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel}}
{{date|June 19, 2007}}

Two inquiries into the seizure of [[w:Royal Navy|Royal Navy]] personnel by [[w:Iran|Iran]] in March 2007 have found that the capture was not a result of "a single failure or any particular individual’s human error, but rather of an unfortunate accumulation of factors" and that there was a "collective failure of judgement" in allowing those involved to receive payment for discussing the event with the media.

The first report, by Lieutenant General Sir Rob Fulton, looked at "operational circumstances, consequences, and implications of the detention of the personnel". The second, by [[w:Tony Hall (arts manager)|Tony Hall]], former BBC Director of News and now Chief Executive of the [[w:Royal Opera House|Royal Opera House]], examined the [[w:Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence's]] (MOD) handling of the media attention in relation to the incident and has been published on the MOD website. The report by General Fulton is not available to the public, as it is classified because it deals with operational issues.

General Fulton identified weaknesses in training, communications and the handling of intelligence and suggested improvements in training for boarding operations.  

The Hall report found that the poor judgement in allowing members of the armed forces to talk to the media was not the failure of a single individual, but Defence Secretary [[w:Des Browne|Des Browne]] accepted this as his responsibility, and has apologised for this error. He said that personnel would not be allowed to sell their stories in future.

In a statement to Parliament, Des Browne said that the Ministry of Defence were committed to implementing the recommendations made in the reports and that he expects "the great majority to be implemented by the end of this year".

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6765903.stm
|title='Failings' over captured sailors
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 19, 2007}}
*{{source-pr|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/DefenceSecretaryPledgesToImplementNavyOperationsAndMediahandlingReviews.htm
|title=Defence Secretary pledges to implement Navy operations and Media-handling reviews
|author=
|pub=Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
|date=June 19, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2106682,00.html
|title='No individual to blame' for seizure of sailors
|author=Peter Walker
|pub=Guardian Unlimited
|date=June 19, 2007}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/MediaandPublicCommunicationPublications/MediaRelations/ReportByTonyHallOnReviewOfMediaAccessToPersonnel.htm Report by Tony Hall on review of media access to personnel]

{{publish}}
{{archive}}

[[Category:World]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Iran]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Middle East]]

</noinclude>
Two inquiries into the seizure of Royal Navy personnel by Iran in March 2007 have found that the capture was not a result of "a single failure or any particular individual’s human error, but rather of an unfortunate accumulation of factors" and that there was a "collective failure of judgement" in allowing those involved to receive payment for discussing the event with the media.

The first report, by Lieutenant General Sir Rob Fulton, looked at "operational circumstances, consequences, and implications of the detention of the personnel". The second, by Tony Hall, former BBC Director of News and now Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, examined the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) handling of the media attention in relation to the incident and has been published on the MOD website. The report by General Fulton is not available to the public, as it is classified because it deals with operational issues.

General Fulton identified weaknesses in training, communications and the handling of intelligence and suggested improvements in training for boarding operations.  

The Hall report found that the poor judgement in allowing members of the armed forces to talk to the media was not the failure of a single individual, but Defence Secretary Des Browne accepted this as his responsibility, and has apologised for this error. He said that personnel would not be allowed to sell their stories in future.

In a statement to Parliament, Des Browne said that the Ministry of Defence were committed to implementing the recommendations made in the reports and that he expects "the great majority to be implemented by the end of this year".
World Politics and conflicts United Kingdom Iran Europe Middle East